Avanti Feeds, Apex Frozen and other shrimp stocks surge up to 20% after India–US trade pact

Shares of export-focused shrimp companies such as Avanti Feeds and Apex Frozen Foods surged up to % in Tuesday’s trading session, witnessing strong buying after India and the United States signed a trade deal late Monday night. The agreement was announced by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Avanti Feeds shares rose 20% to an intraday high of Rs 960 apiece on the NSE, whereas Apex Frozen Foods rose 19.9% to Rs 352.30 apiece.

Shares of Coastal Corporation Limited jumped nearly 5% to clock an intraday high of Rs 48.14 apiece on the NSE.


Under the agreement, Indian exports to the US will now attract an 18% tariff, sharply lower than the 50% levy imposed earlier after Donald Trump claimed India would stop buying Russian oil. In return, India will move forward with cutting its tariff and non-tariff barriers on US goods to zero.

Shrimp stocks had borne the brunt of selling since the announcement of reciprocal tariffs and trade deals between the US and other countries, given the sector’s heavy dependence on the American market. The US accounts for nearly 48% of exports for Indian shrimp exporters. With a 50% tariff, India had emerged as one of the highest-taxed major shrimp suppliers to the US, weighing on export volumes even as companies scrambled to diversify into alternative markets to support shipments.

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For Indian markets, the deal removes a key overhang that had kept foreign investors cautious and pushed equities into a phase of prolonged underperformance. Indian markets struggled through January, with the Nifty shedding over 1,000 points at its worst, while foreign portfolio investors sold billions of dollars worth of equities.

Persistent trade uncertainty, a weakening rupee and global risk-off sentiment had made Indian equities among the weaker performers across major markets. Analysts had consistently maintained that any breakthrough on the India-US trade front could act as a trigger for a market turnaround.

Reacting to Trump’s post, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the US President.
“Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today,” Modi wrote on X. “Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18%. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement. When two large economies and the world’s largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation.”

Alongside the free trade agreement with the European Union concluded days earlier, India now has robust trade agreements with two of the world’s largest trading blocs—a first in the country’s economic history.

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