With the United States proposing a steep 25% tariff hike on select imports from India — potentially pushing overall duties to 50% — concerns have been raised about the impact on Indian exports. However, Goa’s seafood sector remains largely unperturbed, pointing to negligible trade with the US in recent years.
Mushtaq Ahmed, CEO of F3 Marine Foods Worldwide, said, “There are very few seafood exporters from Goa to the US. Most of the exports go to countries like China, Bangkok, Malaysia and Europe. The Goan seafood industry is not likely to be affected because there hasn’t been much export to the US for the last three or four years.” He noted that a company which once supplied to the American market is now barely operational.
Echoing this view, Narasimha Poojary, Managing Partner of Goan Bounty, observed, “Hardly one or two percent of our exports go to the US, if at all. At present, nobody is exporting seafood from Goa to the US. It is rare — maybe even less than one percent. Prawn exports to the US primarily come from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, which account for over 90% of such trade.”
Some in the trade, however, hinted at potential workarounds if the tariff hike is enforced.
“Exporters may consider using Malaysia or Dubai to route their products,” said a trader who requested anonymity. “But the payments would still need to be made in US dollars.”
The matter was also raised in the Goa Legislative Assembly, where Independent MLA Viresh Borkar, through a Calling Attention motion, cautioned that the US move — reportedly tied to India’s continued oil trade with Russia — could make Indian goods less competitive and more expensive in the American market.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured legislators that the Centre was fully engaged on the issue. “The Government of India is already seized of the various issues regarding the US decision to impose an additional 25% tariff on goods imported from India,” he said.
For now, while exporters in other States may have to brace for the fallout, Goa’s seafood sector remains insulated — its reliance on the US market having long faded.