Australia lifts import ban on Indian prawn, bringing aid to farmers affected by US tariffs

Whereas this transfer by Australia opens up a brand new marketplace for the prawn farmers, the volumes are usually not very excessive. 
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H.VIBHU

Australia’s lifting of the ban on unpeeled prawn imports from India offers a breather to prawn farmers within the nation, who’re struggling heavy losses as a result of 50 per cent tariffs by the United States.

Whereas this transfer by Australia opens up a brand new marketplace for the prawn farmers, the volumes are usually not very excessive. The far-eastern nation imported 38,000 tonnes of prawns in 2022. However it will positively fall within the total plan of the shrimp trade to diversify its export markets in the long term to offset the losses that it suffered due to the US tariffs. Indian exporters must compete with Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and China for this market.

Rider

The export alternative, nevertheless, comes with a rider. All export consignments have to be examined by a reliable authority regionally for white spot and yellow head illnesses. “After that, when the consignments arrive in Australia, they are going to be quarantined and a pattern will get examined for the illnesses once more. In the event that they cross the check, they are going to be allowed,” Ravi Kumar Yellanki, the Managing Director of Vaisakhi Bio-Marine and Vaisakhi Bio-Assets, and the President of the All India Shrimp Hatchery Affiliation (AISHA), informed businessline.

The ban on exports got here into being in 2016 and exports have been reinstated in 2018. Indian exporters, nevertheless, haven’t focussed a lot on this market because the US market regarded very profitable.

Nara Lokesh, Andhra Pradesh Minister for IT and Human Assets, who’s at the moment visiting Australia, introduced on Tuesday night time that the host nation had granted its first import approval for unpeeled Indian prawns.

The announcement comes as a part of his ongoing go to to Australia, the place he has been holding conferences with authorities officers, buyers and the seafood commerce.

Australia had lengthy restricted the import of unpeeled prawns from India after the detection of white spot virus in earlier consignments. This ban has been a persistent problem for Indian exporters, notably prawn farmers and merchants from North Andhra, who’ve been attempting to regain entry to the Australian market after the setback within the US market.

“The approval will give a big enhance to India’s aquaculture exporters and scale back over-dependence on a single market,” he mentioned.

“A protracted-standing hurdle for Indian seafood exporters has been Australia’s restrictions on unpeeled prawns resulting from white spot virus detection. Right this moment, the primary import approval for Indian prawns has been granted,” Lokesh mentioned in a submit on X.

Printed on October 22, 2025