State of the World from NPR Global Ripples as U.S. Tariffs Hit a Small Creature: the Shrimp
Sep 19, 2025
U.S. tariffs have thrown the Indian shrimp industry into turmoil, impacting the livelihoods of local workers and farmers. As processing plants face reduced operations and export prices plummet, the economic stakes rise. Experts discuss how high tariffs can threaten labor-intensive sectors in the U.S., while domestic shrimpers and retailers may reap unexpected benefits. The ripple effects of such policies extend far beyond borders, reshaping the global shrimp trade.
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Worker Story From Andhra Pradesh
- Sita, a single mother in Andhra Pradesh, used to earn about $120 a month peeling and packing shrimp but hasn't had shifts in weeks.
- She pulled her sons out of school and worries about rent and loans as local processing work vanishes.
Tariffs Cripple Export Supply Chain
- Indian shrimp processors say U.S. tariffs have priced them out and halted shipments meant for America.
- Exporters are storing product and scrambling for new markets while margins stay razor-thin.
Farmer Faces Last Harvest
- Shrimp farmer Rajakrishnan Raju says he expects to lose thousands and thinks this may be his last harvest.
- Traders and exporters stopped buying wholesale shrimp, cutting off farmers' incomes.