U.S. shrimp imports declined again in September, likely due to tariffs on shrimp-exporting nations, according to industry blog ShrimpInsights.
Though U.S. shrimp import volumes have grown robustly throughout most of 2025, declines began in August, when reciprocal tariffs on many nations took effect.
In August, the U.S. imported 9 percent less shrimp than it did in August 2024, marking a sharp contrast from the year’s pattern thus far.
Now, ShrimpInsights has reported that September saw an even steeper year-over-year volume decline of 11 percent.
According to ShrimpInsights Founder and Lead Analyst Willem van der Pijl, the declines in August and September signal “a clear break from the pre-tariff strong first-half momentum.”
August and September were also the first months of the year that saw the values of total U.S. shrimp imports decreasing, with August valued at USD 501 million (EUR 426.60 million), a 6 percent year-over-year decline, and September’s imports valued at USD 528 million (EUR 449.59 million), an 8 percent year-over-year decline.
Volumes and values are still up, however, between January and September in comparison to 2024, owing to strong growth throughout the first seven months of 2025.
Frozen peeled shrimp was again the most popular import category in September, followed by shell-on frozen shrimp, cooked and marinated shrimp, and breaded products.
Frozen peeled shrimp imports amounted to 33,616 metric tons (MT) in September, a 12 percent year-over-year decline. Shell-on frozen imports totaled 15,067 MT, marking a 5 percent year-over-year decline.
September also saw 9,507 MT of value-added shrimp imported into the U.S., a 12 percent year-over year-decline and 4,642 MT of breaded shrimp products, an 18 percent year-over-year decline.
The biggest exporter of shrimp to the U.S. was India, which exported 26,374 MT, marking an 11 percent year-over year-decline but still a 15 percent jump when considering the nine-month total of 246,476 MT.
Though Ecuadorian exporters are paying tariffs, they are much lower than those of India and other shrimp-exporting nations, which van der Pijl said explained why the nation was one of only a few nations still expanding its export market to the U.S. as other nations work to diversify away from it.
The South American nation was the second-largest exporter of shrimp to the U.S. in September, with 18,770 MT in volume, a 22 percent year-over-year increase.
Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand came next, each with volumes that represented more than 30 percent year-over-year declines in September.
Indonesia exported 7,460 MT in September, a 31 percent year-over-year decline, while Vietnam exported 5,561 MT, a 35 percent year-over-year decline. Thailand shipped 1,581 MT, a 34 percent year-over-year decline.
