To be solved
According to data released by the Global Shrimp Forum (GSF) at a recent global shrimp industry forum, U.S. imports of shrimp products have shown negative growth for three consecutive quarters. Imports fell by 16% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2025, 11% in the first quarter of 2026, and 2% in the second quarter.
Willem van der Pijl, co-founder of GSF, stated that if the current trend continues, U.S. imports this year will be around 740,000 metric tons, down from 789,000 metric tons last year.
Henry DelaLlana, Vice President of Chicken of the Sea Frozen Foods, a U.S. importer, noted, \"By market logic, a decline in imports should stimulate price increases, but that has not actually happened. Prices have been on a downward trend over the past two to three months.\
U.S. monthly imports saw only a slight rebound at the end of the second quarter, with imports rising 7% year-on-year in May and 4% in June.
The weakness in the U.S. market is partly linked to policy uncertainty. After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down tariffs imposed by the Trump administration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) in February, the White House switched to temporary tariffs under Section 122, valid for 150 days. By July 24, these were replaced by Section 301 tariffs.
The so-called Section 310 tariffs imposed on Ecuador, India, and Indonesia are 10%. Meanwhile, the U.S. has launched an investigation into structural overcapacity, and Ecuador was not included in this probe.
DelaLlana believes that the persistent uncertainty in U.S. trade policy has made importing more difficult, and unfavorable conditions are likely to continue for the next few years.
This year, U.S. imports from Ecuador are expected to reach 270,000 metric tons and from India 230,000 metric tons. Ecuador continues to expand its share of the U.S. market, while shares from India and other Asian suppliers have declined.
DelaLlana said that if the Section 301 overcapacity investigation leads to new tariffs, Ecuador's advantage in the U.S. market will be further strengthened. \"Not being included in the investigation is clearly an advantage for them. However, as the world's largest shrimp-producing country, not being investigated for overcapacity seems rather ironic to me.\
Weak demand in the U.S. market may be a fundamental issue, primarily manifested by the coexistence of declining imports and falling prices. U.S. buyers have not shown a clear willingness to pay higher prices, and most importers believe shrimp product prices will remain under pressure for the long term due to abundant supply. Thus, the U.S. market currently presents a somewhat paradoxical situation: imports are contracting, yet prices are not rising.
