India’s value-added shrimp exports rise amidst US-China trade war

Due to the ensuing US-China trade war, US has started importing value-added shrimps like breaded shrimps from India. Previously, China would import Indian shrimps for value addition and then export them to the US. In 2017-18, China imported 49,701 tonnes of seafood amounting US$ 227.39 million from India. In FY18, India exported 35,000 tonne of value-added products, worth US$ 350 million, to the US. The total seafood exports to US during the same period amounted to US$ 2.3 billion, with frozen shrimp the major item of exports.

Amalgam group chairman AJ Tharakan said, “We are currently doing private labeling for major US retailers in the frozen seafood sector and investing Rs 45-50 crore for a new factory in Allepey for value added products.” Amalgam is one of India’s major seafood exporters and aqua food producers.