A dozen men joked and a whistle when they made their way into the water of the ponds from shrimp in the southeast coastal state of India in Andra -Pradesh, pulling out a large network behind them when they tried to catch as many shrimp as possible.
The disastrous atmosphere smeared deep concern about 50 percent tariffs, which the United States in August struck Indian export, which greatly damaged the frozen industry of frozen shrimps in India.
“Everything is in despair,” said Bhaskar Kokkiligaddda, one of the daily workers, who rotates to various shrimp farms in the area near Pokapatanam, Andra -Pradesh, who is surrounded by the Godari River, which flows into the neighboring bay of the Bengal Bay.
Prior to the introduction of US tariffs, they were the largest client of India for shrimp export, which received a little more than 40 percent of the market. According to the Ministry of Trade and Indian Industry, this amounted to more than 2.5 billion US dollars (3.5 billion US dollars) in 2023-24 financial year.
Now the shrimp is collected more sporadically, and most of what has been pulled out is placed on ice in containers for storage, and deliveries in the United States mainly stop.
Kokkiligaddda said that some of the workers who rely on shrimp fees voluntarily participated in a reduction in wages, while others went to work, even if they knew that they were not needed in the hope that they could make several additional rupees.
“Up to 20 days of work [a month]The field is all up to 10 days now, ”he said. “I don’t know how to manage.”
The Indian shrimp industry is responsible for more than one million jobs in export companies, shrimp processing plants and hundreds of small farms.
The pain is especially acute in Andra -Pradesh, where From 75 to 85 percent of Indian shrimp According to industry data, most of which were directed directly to shipping containers intended for the United States are produced.
The tariffs doubled
The initial tariff for Indian export was set by 25 percent, but later US President Donald Trump doubled up to 50 percent as a punishment for buying Indian oil of Russian oil.
This gave a competitive advantage for the main international opponent of the export of shrimp, Ecuador, which is engaged in a 15 percent tariff.
“We have already suffered from [the 25 per cent duty]- said Sabbineni, on which several hundred workers work on three farms in Andra -Pradesh.
He said that the price he receives for his shrimp has decreased by almost 40 percent, and this makes many farmers think seriously about refusing the agriculture of shrimp at all. Others are working on the development of other export markets, but this process can take months.
“We experience so much pain.”
'Very difficult times'
This is worse for the vast majority of Indian shrimp farmers, which have tiny plots of land.
“These are very difficult times,” said CBC News, these are very difficult times, ”a farmer, a farmer owning one pond, which is 0.4 hectares of land.
Recently, he collected 200 kilograms of shrimp, but he could not find someone to sell him, with a huge tariff for the United States.
“It was wasted,” said 45 -year -old Basani. “It was very depressing. I didn't want to throw it away. ”
The United States was the main export market in India for shrimp, but 50 percent of export tariffs given by the Trump administration seriously damaged industries. Some farmers encountered a decrease in prices by 40 percent of their catch, and the funds for the existence of exporters and workers are on the line.
Even when the state government offers an electricity subsidy for shrimp farmers in an attempt to compensate for the bite of new tariffs, the bassani is difficult to make ends meet.
“I have loans for repayment, and I cannot afford my electricity accounts.”
Basani, who said that he was playing with the idea to leave behind the shrimp, had to get his son out of college because he could not afford training, and he needs more help on the farm.
Several other work options
Many of the workplaces depending on the reliable shrimp industry in India are on more than 300 handlers, where mostly women spend watches, reading and girlish shrimp.
Often this is the most reliable work available to women with a small number of other options, even if the industry suffers from the reports of human rights groups of workers who are poorly paid, operated and forced to work for additional hours.
“My life depends on this wage,” said 45 -year -old Lalita Rajvari, who says that she has an alcoholic husband who does not give her money for households.
She and other women earn from 6 to 9 dollars a day.
I am looking for a trading deal
Indian officials seek to conclude a trading deal with the United States to help compensate for tariffs, but there are several key points.
Trump opposed the “disgusting” protectionist trade barriers of India, but New Deli insists that he will not give up on his red lines or does not open agricultural or dairy sectors. Negotiations recently resumed after they stopped at the end of August for several weeks.
“We all worry” about the influence of tariffs, said 24 -year -old Radhika Enti.
She said that her family was conservative, and she would only allow her to work at the factory, which is close to her house and hires only women to process the catch.
“If this device is disconnected, how can we survive? Who will take care of our children? ” The young mother said without stopping her work, cleaning the shrimp after shrimp.
“We cannot do anything.”
