New Delhi: India’s seafood exports reached a record Rs 72,325.82 crore ($8.28 billion) in FY 2025-26, with total export volumes of 19.32 lakh metric tonnes, reflecting sustained growth driven by strong global demand and diversification of export markets.
Frozen shrimp remained the dominant export product, contributing Rs 47,973.13 crore ($5.51 billion) and accounting for over two-thirds of total export earnings, with growth of 4.6% in volume and 6.35% in value, underscoring its continued importance in India’s marine export basket.
The United States continued as the largest export destination at $2.32 billion, although shipments declined by 19.8% in volume and 14.5% in value, primarily due to the impact of reciprocal tariffs. This decline was effectively offset by strong growth in alternative markets, indicating a strategic shift towards diversification. China emerged as the second-largest market with growth of 22.7% in value and 20.1% in volume, while the European Union recorded significant increases of 37.9% in value and 35.2% in volume. Southeast Asia also saw robust expansion, with growth of 36.1% in value and 28.2% in volume.
Exports to Japan rose by 6.55% in value, whereas West Asia registered a marginal decline of 0.55%, influenced by regional instability toward the end of the financial year. Overall, the trend reflects reduced dependence on traditional markets and increased penetration into emerging and high-growth regions.
A total of 211 new export establishments were approved across major global markets, supporting expanded market access. Product diversification also contributed to export resilience, with positive performance observed in frozen fish, squid, cuttlefish, dried items, live products, surimi, fishmeal, and fish oil, while chilled products experienced a decline. From a logistics perspective, the concentration of nearly 64% of export value across the top five ports — Vizag, JNPT, Kochi, Kolkata and Chennai — highlights the continued importance of key maritime infrastructure in supporting export growth.
(Cover photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash)