Indian shrimp exports face EU and US rejections after banned antibiotics tests, Parliament told

Indian shrimp exports faced 19 consignment rejections in 2025-26 after tests found banned antibiotics, the government told Parliament on Wednesday. Fisheries Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh said the European Union turned back seven consignments. The United States rejected 12 consignments during the same period, according to the reply.

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Rajiv Ranjan Singh also told the Rajya Sabha that no export consignments were rejected due to shrimp diseases. No rejections were linked to pathogens, as per the information shared. Singh said follow-up steps were carried out under the Export Inspection Council process. The actions also matched rules set by importing countries.

Indian shrimp export consignments rejected: government response

Singh said, "Action has been taken in accordance with the EICs complaint handling procedure and the requirements of the respective importing countries,\" in the written response. The Export Inspection Council, or EIC, is responsible for overseeing export quality checks. It also ensures required testing happens before export certification.

Indian shrimp export consignments rejected: antibiotic ban and penalties

The Coastal Aquaculture Authority CAA has prohibited antibiotics and other pharmacologically active substances in coastal aquaculture. It allows only certified inputs for farming and related activities. Penalties apply when violations are detected. The authority also sends notices and advisories to relevant stakeholders across the sector.

Indian shrimp export consignments rejected: monitoring by coastal states

The fisheries ministry has asked all coastal states to create Antibiotic Task Forces. These groups are meant to watch for misuse and take action when needed. The monitoring covers the wider aquaculture supply chain. The aim is to detect breaches early and apply penalties where rules are broken.

Indian shrimp export consignments rejected: EIC training and testing

Under the export oversight system, the EIC holds regular training sessions on Food Safety Management Systems. The sessions are for seafood establishments that have approval to export. The EIC also requires tests for banned antibiotics. These tests form part of export certification checks for seafood shipments.

Indian shrimp export consignments rejected: MPEDA support and farm certification

The Marine Products Export Development Authority MPEDA helps exporters meet compliance needs through pre-harvest testing. It uses ELISA kits and NABL-accredited laboratories for this work. MPEDA also runs certification programmes such as SHAPHARI. These programmes cover hatcheries and farms linked to shrimp production.

Indian shrimp export consignments rejected: residue controls and traceability plan

MPEDA, CAA and EIC jointly run the National Residue Control Plan to track antibiotic residues. The plan is meant to align Indian supplies with global standards. The ministry also released the National Framework on Traceability in Fisheries and Aquaculture 2025. It seeks a national digital traceability system across the full value chain.

The traceability framework covers regulatory compliance and food safety needs within fisheries and aquaculture. It also targets better market access for small-scale fishers. Export promotion is another stated objective of the framework. The government’s update linked these steps to stricter checks, after 19 shrimp consignments were rejected in 2025-26.

With inputs from PTI