Kerala govt convenes meeting to discuss US shrimp export ban

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala government has convened a meeting of affected parties in the state, including representatives of fishermen and industry, to seek a way out to protect their livelihood and business, following the ban imposed by the United States on the export of wild-caught shrimp.

State Fisheries Minister Saji Cheriyan will hold a meeting with the fishermen's association, boat owners, exporters, and related officials on July 24, according to an official release on Thursday.

The minister's office said that the US imposed a ban in 2019 on importing wild-caught shrimps from India, which is still in effect, citing that protected sea turtles get entangled in fishing nets.

"Due to the US ban, other countries are buying Indian shrimps at a lower price. This crisis is affecting the domestic market for sea shrimps, causing prices to drop. Against this backdrop, the government has called a meeting, as the situation is a major setback for the fisheries sector," the office said.

The fishermen's associations said that sea turtles are not getting entangled in nets during trolling in most areas in India. A troll ban is in place on the coast of Odisha, where sea turtles are widely seen, during their breeding season.

Charles George, leader of Kerala Matsya Thozhilali Aikyavedi, alleged that many exporters were forced to close down their businesses due to the ban imposed by the United States.

Last year, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had said that India and the US were developing a mechanism that would allow Indian fishermen to export shrimps to American consumers