On March 20, 2024, Corporate Accountability Lab released a groundbreaking report, Hidden Harvest: Human Rights and Environmental Abuses in India’s Shrimp Industry, which detailed extensive labor and environmental abuses in the Indian shrimp industry. Although 40 percent of all shrimp imported into the United States comes from India, little attention has been paid to the industry – until now.
The same day we released our report, the Associated Press and the Outlaw Ocean Project published additional reporting on abuses in the Indian shrimp sector. Although each of the three recent reports on this sector speaks for itself, the patterns of conduct uncovered by the Associated Press and the Outlaw Ocean Project are consistent with the information we received during the more than 150 interviews we conducted with workers, supervisors, and executives at shrimp companies, as well as farm owners, government officials, human rights advocates, union leaders, and local doctors.
In the month since the report’s release, we have continued to see significant engagement and interest concerning the issues we explored. Below is a short summary of some key reporting:
The Associated Press, AP finds grueling conditions in Indian shrimp industry that report calls ‘dangerous and abusive’
The Outlaw Ocean Project, The Whistleblower
NBC News, American 'whistleblower' files complaint against India shrimp processing plant
Seafood Source, Corporate Accountability Lab, AP, Outlaw Ocean reports allege forced labor, antibiotics used in Indian shrimp production
Seafood Source, CAL’s Dean Pinkert calls on US shrimp buyers to investigate their Indian supply chains
U.S. Members of Congress have also turned their attention to the issues in the industry, with both Democrats and Republicans calling for more oversight and enforcement of shrimp imports.
What abuses did CAL report on in the Indian shrimp industry?
The Indian shrimp sector is centered in Andhra Pradesh, a state on the eastern coast of India. Workers in the industry are overwhelmingly from vulnerable backgrounds, from lower castes and fisher communities, and many are migrant workers from other Indian states. Migrant workers, especially, are at a high risk of forced labor.
Working conditions in the Indian shrimp industry are often dangerous, with workers complaining of frostbite from holding frozen shrimp. Workers who live in on-site housing have their movements constrained, with guards watching and securing the facility; workers reported that, in some cases, they are only allowed to leave the facility once a month. There are reports of companies’ connection with debt bondage, their destruction of essential mangrove and wetland habitats, and their pollution of community water supplies. That reality shapes the lives of countless workers, undermines their health and safety, and eviscerates their physical environment, all to serve the interests of those who seek to promote sales at the other end of the supply chain.
How have U.S. buyers of Indian shrimp responded?
The first step towards change is acknowledging the problem. The attention on the industry and the acknowledgement from many U.S. retailers and distributors that they need to look into their supply chains, is a beginning. As we move forward, it is imperative that companies – both U.S. and Indian – do more than make appropriate statements. They must implement changes to upend the prevailing pattern of abuse.
A few companies have begun to take concrete steps. Sysco, the large wholesaler and restaurant supplier, has suspended all sourcing from Nekkanti Sea Foods, one of the largest exporters of shrimp to the United States. While Sysco likely continues to buy shrimp from other Indian producers, its suspension of sourcing from one large company shows that it not only takes these allegations seriously – but is making changes based on the reporting. Similarly, East Fish, a distributor of Indian shrimp, has said that the company “will not tolerate labor abuses of any sort, at any level of our supply chain. We are taking measures to suspend purchases until we can appropriately and thoroughly investigate these claims.”
How have producing companies responded to the allegations?
According to a newly released report, since the release of the three reports, nine Indian producing companies have reached out to a consulting firm that specializes in the shrimp industry to request “support on how to improve labor conditions.” Such interest in improving working conditions is a good first step. We hope these companies continue that work.
Some Indian shrimp interests have turned a blind eye to the issues. For instance, instead of assessing their supply chains, the Seafood Exporters Association of Indian (SEAI) has lashed out at the Associated Press and at CAL. Others have, with no evidence or rationale, claimed that CAL’s report is “fabricated.” Such statements demonstrate how important our findings were, highlighting the dark side of an industry that some companies would rather have kept hidden.
When Indian shrimp interests attack the messenger, their refusal to engage on specifics speaks volumes as to the validity of our findings on such widespread practices as abuse of vulnerability, debt bondage, restriction of movement, dangerous working conditions, and environmental degradation.
As an independent, not-for-profit human rights organization with extensive experience carrying out in-depth investigations into labor abuses in supply chains, CAL’s goal in publishing this report was to bring to light systemic issues in the Indian shrimp sector so that they can be addressed appropriately. We hope that these companies begin to look at their supply chains and change their production models – treating workers with the dignity and respect they deserve.
How have certification programs responded to the reporting?
Global Seafood Alliance (GSA) runs Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), a certification program prevalent in the Indian shrimp sector. GSA has stated that it will take a hard look at certified facilities. We hope this means a full-scale reconsideration of their auditing models.
It has been clear for many years that ecosocial certification schemes are ineffective and fail for the most part to protect workers and the environment. And yet many companies in the supply chain continue to hide behind them, using them as shields and marketing ploys. Instead of putting in the money and effort to make sustainability a reality, these companies prefer to outsource the issue to a third party while maintaining that they are taking positive steps.
What’s Next?
This is just the beginning. A month after CAL released Hidden Harvest, we continue to urge companies to investigate their supply chains and implement real change to improve conditions for workers and local communities. This means collecting input from workers, collaborating with local unions, and generally treating workers as partners. This is a multi-billion dollar industry – at the very least, workers deserve a fair wage and decent working conditions.
It has only been a few weeks since we published our report and already we are seeing shifts in the industry. In the coming months, we hope to see more improvements for workers and their communities.
