AP to form NPCC to tackle tax on aqua produce

The Andhra Pradesh government announced the formation of the National Prawn Coordination Committee (NPCC) on April 7 to address the fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s new 26 percent tariff on Indian prawn exports, effective April 5. This marks the first time the state’s prawn industry, a cornerstone of its $7 billion seafood trade, has faced such a levy, triggering urgent action to support aqua farmers and stakeholders reeling from plunging prices and stalled exports.

The NPCC aims to slash feed costs and boost aqua production efficiency, offering relief to farmers hit by a 10-15 percent price drop—100-count shrimp fell from Rs 240 to Rs 200 per kg in days. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, in a letter to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, urged diplomatic talks with the U.S. to reduce the tariff, warning of a $1 billion annual loss to India’s shrimp sector. “This threatens lakhs of livelihoods,” Naidu said, noting Andhra’s 33 percent share in India’s seafood exports. With cold storages overflowing and exporters halting procurement, the committee will rally stakeholders to navigate this crisis and seek global market alternatives.