{"id":542130,"date":"2026-03-24T10:22:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T10:22:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/542130\/"},"modified":"2026-03-24T10:22:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T10:22:22","slug":"us-tariffs-squeeze-women-in-indias-shrimp-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/542130\/","title":{"rendered":"US Tariffs Squeeze Women in India\u2019s Shrimp Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article was produced by BehanBox<\/a>, a women-led organisation that spotlights the voices of women and gender diverse persons at the centre of public discourse, and co-published by The Xylom. Subscribe to their newsletter here<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Barely any light reaches the 300 sq ft home of Radha*, a 27-year-old wage worker from West Godavari\u2019s Akividu village. <\/p>\n

Radha has shut the windows so that her neighbours do not hear her husband\u2019s screams or the sound of the lashes she gets nearly every day. But her demeanour \u2014 frail body, sunken eyes, visible scars on the arms, and the way she lowers her voice in her own home \u2014 speaks of the violence she lives with. Rushing to finish our conversation before her husband returns, she nods when we ask if she is abused.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past six months, I haven\u2019t been getting work throughout the month, and I earn only half of what I used to earn,\u201d says Radha. \u201cI have to educate my eight-year-old daughter, repay loans, and manage household expenses. My husband hits me when I ask him to pitch in.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Radha scrolls through her phone gallery to find her health reports and prescriptions. (Bhaskar Basava\/BehanBox)<\/p>\n

There was a time Radha used to earn around Rs 15,000 ($160) a month deveining and de-heading shrimps at a local factory. The work allowed her to avoid the trauma inflicted by her alcoholic husband \u2013 she was home less often and financially independent. But the sharp rise in the tariffs imposed by the United States on Indian exports, including shrimp, has hit work opportunities in the sector.<\/p>\n

Radha says she now lives in a state of constant anxiety and fear. Her husband is upset she does not hand over her earnings to him. \u201cBut he would spend it all on alcohol. How will I run the family?\u201d she asks.<\/p>\n

Ponds filled to the brim, lush coconut trees, and aqua farms extending to the horizon \u2014 every scenery in West Godavari\u2019s Bhimavaram evokes prosperity. But not Durga\u2019s* 280 sq-ft home in Akividu, where the living room becomes the bedroom at night.<\/p>\n

For the past 15 years, Durga, 38, like Radha, has been deheading and deveining shrimps in factories, occupying the lowest rung of the seafood supply chain. Till about a year ago, she too earned Rs 15,000 ($160) a month, a steady income that substantiated her painter husband\u2019s earnings and helped educate their two daughters.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Durga monitors her daughter as the latter is doing her homework. (Bhaskar Basava\/BehanBox)<\/p>\n

In August<\/a> last year, in addition to the existing anti-dumping and countervailing duties<\/a> of about 8.26%, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed fresh tariffs on India \u2014 a 25% punitive tariff linked to India\u2019s purchases of Russian oil and a 25% reciprocal tariff \u2014 taking the total effective duty burden to about 58.26%.<\/p>\n

Deployed as a geopolitical tool, these tariffs have upended the lives of women like Radha and Durga. Their livelihoods were dependent on India\u2019s agricultural exports. In the financial year ending March 2025, India exported frozen shrimp worth about<\/a> $5.9 billion globally, with the U.S. alone accounting for nearly half the sales.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Workers haul in shrimp with hand nets at a farm near Bhimavaram (Bhaskar Basava\/BehanBox)<\/p>\n

\u201cOver time, many grew reliant on large-volume orders from the U.S., far exceeding those from other destinations. Several exporters from Andhra Pradesh even expanded their supply chains to cater specifically to the US market, setting up processing plants and cold storage units there,\u201d says Gembali Seetaraju of Lito Marine Exports Private Limited.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, U.S. tariffs have been fluctuating wildly in recent months, adding to the precarity. The U.S.\u2013India trade deal<\/a> in early February brought the tariffs down from 50% to 18%. However, in addition to the revised tariff, Indian shrimp continues to attract anti-dumping and countervailing duties of about 8.26%, taking the total effective duty burden to roughly 26%.<\/p>\n

Then again, in late February, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated<\/a> the reciprocal tariffs, effectively ending the Trump-era measures. But the U.S. government issued executive orders imposing 10% tariffs on certain products from all countries for 150 days. Trump, meanwhile, asserted<\/a> on his platform, Truth Social, his authority to impose new tariffs. On March 11th, he launched<\/a> trade investigations into multiple countries, including India, paving the way for a potential new wave of tariffs to replace the repealed ones.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Ecuador, the world\u2019s largest shrimp exporter and India\u2019s closest competitor in the U.S. market, faces a combined duty burden of about 18.78%. But given its geographical proximity to the U.S., exporters<\/a> say that despite the tariff reduction, the effective 26% duty still places India at a competitive disadvantage. As Ecuador and the U.S. finalise<\/a> a trade deal, it remains unclear whether Ecuador will continue to face the current tariff rate or be included in the zero-tariff framework.<\/p>\n

\u2018I Get Work Only 10-14 Days A Month\u2019<\/p>\n

When export orders slowed after the tariff hike, the impact travelled swiftly down the supply chain \u2014 reaching women like Durga who work on daily wages in shrimp-processing units. \u201cI have been able to find work for only 10\u2013 14 days a month since August. I barely earn Rs 5,000 ($53) now,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

The fall in income has left her scrambling. Her swollen eyes speak of sleepless nights and the empty coffee cups on the living room table of her stress. \u201cI can\u2019t sleep till 12 am because my mind is flooded with these thoughts. Where will I work tomorrow? How do I pay the rent? How do I pay for my kids\u2019 education? How do I pay interest for the loan?\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

On a Sunday, Durga prepares a shrimp meal for her family. (Bhaskar Basava\/BehanBox)<\/p>\n

In the last month, Durga has had to take on work in five different places to make up for the loss of earnings. It meant spending at least two hours commuting and earning Rs 300 ($3.2) a day, against the Rs 500 ($5.3) earlier. And then there are the commute expenses.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In the twin Godavari districts and in the Krishna belt, farmers started replacing traditional agriculture with aquaculture in the 1990s because shrimp cultivation offers higher incomes than traditional crops. Today, Andhra Pradesh contributes<\/a> 80% of India\u2019s shrimp exports and 34% of its overall marine exports, valued at around Rs 21,246 crore ($2.26 billion) annually. The sector supports the livelihoods of over 250,000 families and sustains nearly 3 million people directly and indirectly.<\/p>\n

Working In Freezing Rooms<\/p>\n

Within the value chain<\/a>, women are largely confined to processing plants, where they perform repetitive and labour-intensive tasks such as peeling, deveining, and de-heading. Women also work as supervisors and security staff in the industry. Most of them are hired on a contractual basis, so employers do not have to pay them a fixed salary and also avoid paying benefits such as health insurance, bonus, and provident fund. Although contractual workers are technically eligible for benefits such as health insurance, a bonus, and a provident fund, these are rarely provided in practice.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the factory I work, there are barely 80 men against 300 women. Men work outdoors lifting goods, and women work in rooms kept extremely cold to preserve shrimps. But that takes a toll on our health,\u201d says Devi*, who works at a shrimp processing factory in Seesali village, Bhimavaram.<\/p>\n

Since November, Devi, despite being a permanent employee, has worked for only 10 days a month and earns a third of the Rs 15,000\u00a0($160) she earlier earned. \u201cI pay Rs 1,400 ($15) to settle a loan every week. With meagre earnings, I am digging into my savings right now,\u201d Devi says.<\/p>\n

With the arrival of children in families, women have to take on some work that brings in an income even as they shoulder care work at home. \u201cMy parents did not let me pursue higher studies as they said that I just had to fulfil the role of a housewife. My husband\u2019s earnings were enough initially, but after having kids, I had to start working,\u201d says Kavitha*, a 27-year-old wage worker. She had studied till Class 12 and started working only in the past two years to support her children\u2019s education.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Following the amendment<\/a> to working hours by the Andhra Pradesh Labour Department in November 2025, workers\u2019 shifts went up from 8 to 10 hours. The workers we interviewed complained that this was not accompanied by any wage increase, and particularly impacted women workers.<\/p>\n

Pushed to work at least 12 hours a day for the same pay, they had only two choices \u2013 quit or comply. This move to increase work hours also made it easier for employers to intensify their demands on workers amidst shrinking export orders from the U.S., we were told.<\/p>\n

When Health Takes A Backseat<\/p>\n

In the factories, as soon as shrimp arrive from farmers, they are washed, segregated, and sent to the valuation section [the term workers and employers use to refer to peeling, deveining, and deheading departments], where the temperature is maintained below 10\u00b0C (50\u00b0F). In units, where the shrimp are pre-cooked for sale, they are then put through temperatures of around 100 C (212 F). They are subsequently frozen at \u201340 C (\u201340 F) and later stored and transported at \u201318 C (0 F), allowing them to remain fit for long-distance exports, including to the U.S., says the manager of a shrimp factory who did not wish to be named.<\/p>\n

While the segregation of the shrimp is on the basis of their size, their cooking and freezing are mostly mechanised. It is in the valuation section that women workers find work.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Hands<\/p>\n

\u201cProlonged exposure to extreme cold resulted in fluid buildup,\u201d says Radha, holding up her chest X-ray (Bhaskar Basava\/BehanBox)<\/p>\n

The effect of their work conditions on their health has been documented. \u201cShrimp processing workers had four to five times higher odds of reporting acute upper and chronic lower respiratory symptoms than the controls,\u201d says a March 2025 study<\/a>, \u2018Respiratory Symptoms, Sensitisation and Occupational Exposure in the Shrimp Processing Industry\u2019. Air samples from the workplace contained high levels of tropomyosin and other allergenic proteins, which are known respiratory sensitisers, the study revealed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kavitha\u2019s hands are swollen, and her glass bangles have broken from the overuse of her hands. So she puts on the gloves before she sits down to peel shrimps for long hours. She struggles to stand for long and has developed a sway-back posture, and she is comfortable only when she sits leaning back.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have developed asthma working in such cold temperatures. I spent Rs 10,000 ($106) on medical bills these past two months,\u201d says Kavitha, catching her breath.\u00a0<\/p>\n

An October 2024 study<\/a>, which specifically looked at women in fish processing (similar to shrimp processing), found reductions in lung function and symptoms likely due to cold environments and bioaerosols in the processing facility. <\/p>\n

All workers complained of various medical issues ranging from ophthalmoplegia to asthma, and they often went to hospitals for treatment. The issues only slightly vary for contractual workers and those who work full-time. Women workers also complain of not getting adequate breaks.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Despite this risk-prone environment, none of the nine women we spoke to was provided with health insurance, provident fund, or bonuses. All workers said that their employers paid a travel allowance of Rs 50 ($0.53).<\/p>\n

Elephant In The Room<\/p>\n

The unavailability and uncertainty of work are hitting women in more ways than one. The reduction in income means they have had to cut down on nutritious food intake, and like Radha, continue in abusive relationships.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There is no mental health support for these women in the locality. The District Medical and Health Officer B Geetha Bhai, confirmed that the government hospital in Bhimavaram (headquarters of the West Godavari district) does not have a psychiatry department.<\/p>\n

What happens when mental health issues remain unsolved? \u201cIn India\u2019s patriarchal context, women\u2019s limited autonomy and decision-making power significantly influence their nutritional health. Evidence from NFHS-5 shows that higher women\u2019s autonomy is associated with a lower risk of undernutrition, highlighting the need to address gender norms alongside health interventions,\u201d says Madhuri HN, a psychiatrist with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru. Over time, this affects their capacity to work safely and productively, compromises caregiving, and limits participation in community or collective action, she adds. Madhuri specialises in women\u2019s mental health, particularly in the areas of perinatal mental health and gender-based violence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Over time,\u00a0 women start seeing anxiety, exhaustion, and hunger as \u201cnormal,\u201d says Madhuri, but this can erode their sense of self-worth and bodily awareness. It also leads to delays in seeking healthcare, poor adherence to treatment, and reduced ability to advocate for better working or living conditions.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Harvested shrimp from the ponds are loaded onto trucks and sent to processing factories in Bhimavaram. (Bhaskar Basava\/BehanBox) <\/p>\n

Short-Circuiting Worker Rights<\/p>\n

Wage workers are legally entitled to social security benefits such as Provident Fund (PF) and Employees\u2019 State Insurance (ESI), and an annual bonus, including Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, and Minimum Wages Act, 1948.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The daily-wage workers are also entitled to statutory welfare benefits, says A Rani, Joint Commissioner of Labour. As per the notified minimum wages for processing workers in the fisheries and seafood sector, the daily wage works out to approximately Rs 489 ($5.2), which is Rs 12,732 ($135) for 26 days. She adds that piece-rate payments are expected to correspond to this daily minimum, and companies are asked to deposit directly into the bank accounts and not pay in cash to enable transparency.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She maintains that there are no irregularities in the payment of bonuses, insurance, and Provident Fund benefits \u201cexcept perhaps in small industries\u201d. Officials who inspect the factories are selected on a random basis through the Labour Inspection System (LIS) to ensure impartial checks, she points out.<\/p>\n

However, women we interviewed across units \u2014 ranging from well-known export houses to medium-scale processing plants \u2014 say they receive their wages in cash from the mesthri (supervisor), who in turn is paid by the companies. The wage rate, they allege, is often as low as Rs 3 per kg of shrimp processed. Meanwhile, women like Devi, who are employed full-time, say they have been opting to receive their wages in cash instead of having them credited to their bank accounts for the past six months.<\/p>\n

CITU\u2019s efforts to link them with the existing ESI hospitals in Kakinada and Rajahmundry to help them deal with their health issues have so far been a futile effort. \u201cThey are entitled to a once-a-year bonus equivalent to a month\u2019s salary, and ESI after completing one year of service. But the management circumvents these obligations by terminating them just before they complete a year and rehiring them shortly after, resetting their eligibility period,\u201d says G Baby Rani, national vice-president of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).<\/p>\n

Vaishali* has been working at a reputed shrimp processing plant in Bhimavaram for seven years now. She reports that her company had to send back more than 100 women workers, many of them migrants from the Hindi-speaking states, after the Trump tariffs caused a steep decline in export orders.<\/p>\n

Indu*, who works at a shrimp processing plant as a wage worker, says her factory no longer contributes to her PF. \u201cThey told me that if I wished to continue the PF account, both the employee\u2019s share [Rs 1,800 ($19), which is 12% of Rs 15,000 ($160)] and the employer\u2019s share [another Rs 1,800 ($19)] would be deducted from my salary itself. That would mean a total deduction of Rs 3,600 ($38) every month,\u201d she says. \u201cI couldn\u2019t afford that, so I agreed to stop PF contributions altogether and receive only cash wages instead.\u201d<\/p>\n

Durga\u2019s income helped her run the household, while her husband\u2019s earnings were used mostly to repay a Rs 1 lakh ($1,060) debt, pay the house rent, maintenance, and children\u2019s school fees. These carefully balanced finances are now jeopardised.<\/p>\n

Women working in shrimp farms have it worse \u2014 they have no designated restrooms, they work in sheds set to freezing temperatures, and take home meagre paychecks. \u201cThere is one functional washroom, but it is used by the supervisors. So we have to go outside, so we reduce our water intake,\u201d says a woman in her 40s who works at the Bhimavaram plant. There are no menstrual hygiene facilities at the plant.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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