Australia Opens Doors to Indian Prawn Imports: Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh Welcomes Landmark Decision

Amaravati, Oct 2025 : Andhra Pradesh’s Minister for Education, IT, and Electronics, Nara Lokesh, has welcomed the Australian government’s decision to permit the import of Indian prawns, calling it a major breakthrough for India’s seafood sector.

Lokesh, who is currently on an official visit to Australia to promote the upcoming CII Partnership Summit scheduled in Visakhapatnam next month, shared the news on social media platform ‘X’, highlighting the development as a milestone for Indian seafood exporters. “A long-standing hurdle for Indian seafood exporters has been Australia’s restrictions on unpeeled prawns due to white spot virus detection. Today, the first import approval for Indian prawns has been granted. Our deepest gratitude to the extensive work done by the Indian and Australian governments to facilitate this,” Lokesh posted.

He added that India must continue to open new markets to reduce its overreliance on a few countries, particularly the United States, which has imposed tariffs that severely impacted Andhra Pradesh’s aqua sector.

Strengthening India-Australia Seafood Partnership

During his visit, Lokesh held a series of discussions to deepen trade and collaboration between India and Australia in the seafood and aquaculture industries. “Today, I met Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) CEO Veronica Papacosta and Engagement Manager Jasmin Kelleher to discuss partnerships in sustainable aquaculture and trade networking. Andhra Pradesh accounts for 60 per cent of India’s seafood exports, valued at $7.4 billion (₹66,000 crore) in 2024–25,” Lokesh wrote.

He lauded Australia’s efforts to build a premium brand identity for its seafood sector. “I was impressed that they’ve created a brand ‘Great Australian Seafood’ to promote Aussie seafood as a premium offering. They’ve also successfully moved up the value chain. We have a lot to learn, and we’ll stay in touch and offer the requisite support to Andhra Pradesh’s seafood industry,” he added.

Andhra Pradesh’s Shrimp Sector Under Pressure

The development comes at a critical time when Andhra Pradesh’s shrimp industry — the backbone of India’s seafood exports — is facing challenges due to U.S. tariffs and shrinking demand.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had recently appealed to the Union Government to support aqua farmers and exporters in the state. He noted that Andhra Pradesh contributes 80 per cent of India’s shrimp exports and 34 per cent of marine exports, with annual export earnings of around ₹21,246 crore.

However, the sector has been hit hard by U.S. trade restrictions, which have led to losses estimated at ₹25,000 crore, and the cancellation of nearly 50 per cent of export orders.

Appeal to the Centre for Relief and Market Diversification

To address the crisis, Naidu — whose Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is part of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre — wrote letters to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, and Fisheries Minister Rajeev Ranjan Singh.

He urged the Centre to take a three-pronged approach — offering financial relief, negotiating new trade agreements, and expanding domestic and alternative export markets.

Naidu requested the Finance Ministry to provide GST relaxations and fiscal assistance, and the Commerce Ministry to expedite Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with regions such as the European Union, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Russia. He also asked the Fisheries Ministry to promote domestic seafood consumption and ensure stability in the sector.

A Boost for Exporters

The Australian government’s decision to lift the ban on Indian prawns is expected to provide much-needed respite and diversification opportunities for exporters in Andhra Pradesh.

Industry analysts see this as a strategic opening that can help balance losses from the U.S. market while improving India’s reputation as a reliable seafood supplier globally.

Lokesh concluded that the move reflects the strengthening of Indo-Australian trade relations and the commitment of Andhra Pradesh to remain a leader in sustainable and innovative aquaculture practices.