Lifting of ban on unpeeled prawn to benefit Indian exporters

The decision is expected to provide fresh momentum to prawn exporters across India and create new opportunities for coastal Andhra’s seafood economy.

The decision of Australia to withdraw a ban on unpeeled Indian prawn imports will significantly help Indian exporters, most of them Andhra Pradesh. An exporter from West Godavari district told Bizz Buzz it has come as a big relief for them at a time when Trump Tariffs have hit them very hard forcing them to look for alternate markets.

Andhra Pradesh, a key player in aquaculture farming, accounts for 80% of the country’s shrimp exports and 34% of marine exports, with exports valued at around ₹21,246 crore annually. About 2.5 lakh aqua farmer families and 30 lakh people dependent on allied sectors are facing hardship following hefty imposition of tariffs by the United States.

The major breakthrough for India’s seafood sector was announced on Tuesday by Andhra Pradesh IT, HRD & RTGS Minister Nara Lokesh, who is currently on a tour of Australia to seek investments.

Taking to X, Lokesh on day-3 of his overseas trip announced that Australia has granted its first import approval for unpeeled Indian prawns.

Commenting on the decision, Rajya Sabha MP Saba Sathish Babu said this will be a big boon for fishermen and aqua farmers. "This milestone will propel Kakinada Port as a global hub. AP already leads India, exporting 348K tons worth $2.37B in 2024!"

The announcement came as part of Lokesh's ongoing visit to Australia, where he has been holding meetings with government officials, investors, and the seafood trade. Australia had long restricted the import of unpeeled prawns from India and several other countries after the detection of white spot virus in certain consignments. The ban was imposed to prevent entry of white spot disease into Australia's prawn population.

This ban has been a persistent challenge for Indian exporters, particularly prawn farmers and traders from North Andhra, who have been eager to regain access to the Australian market after massive tariffs announced by America.

Lokesh confirmed that the barrier has finally been lifted and noted that the approval will give a significant boost to India’s aquaculture exporters and reduce over-dependence on a single market.

Minister Lokesh expressed gratitude to both the Indian and Australian governments for working together to resolve the long-standing issue and enable the resumption of trade. “A long-standing hurdle for Indian seafood exporters has been Australia’s restrictions on unpeeled prawns due to white spot virus detection. Today, the first import approval for Indian prawns has been granted,” the Minister said, calling the development a major step forward for the sector.