India’s seafood exports rose to a record ₹73,890.46 crore (USD 8.46 billion) in FY 2025–26, even as the sector navigated weak global demand conditions, according to the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA). Export volumes reached 19,72,018 metric tonnes, marking an all-time high in both quantity and value.
Frozen shrimp remained the backbone of India’s marine export basket. The segment contributed ₹49,037.93 crore (USD 5,624.48 million), accounting for 40.19 per cent of total export volume and 66.52 per cent of export earnings in dollar terms. Shipments of frozen shrimp grew 13.16 per cent in rupee terms and 8.64 per cent in dollar terms during the year, with total volumes of 7,92,647 metric tonnes. The United States was the largest market for India’s frozen shrimp, importing 2,56,128 metric tonnes, followed by China, the European Union, Southeast Asia, Japan, the Middle East and other destinations.
Beyond shrimp, frozen fish emerged as the second-largest export item, generating ₹5,658.37 crore (USD 643.70 million). Dried seafood products ranked third with earnings of ₹5,079.09 crore (USD 577.44 million) and recorded a sharp 78.05 per cent increase in rupee terms. Exports of frozen squid reached 1,02,060 metric tonnes, bringing in ₹4,493.80 crore (USD 513.84 million), while frozen cuttlefish shipments grew in both volume and value to 67,157 metric tonnes and USD 331.96 million, respectively. Chilled products fetched ₹622.31 crore (USD 71.27 million) and live products recorded 11.46 per cent growth in dollar terms, reaching USD 62.43 million.
In market terms, the United States stayed the top destination by value, importing 2,79,193 metric tonnes of Indian seafood worth ₹20,263.27 crore (USD 2,328.74 million). However, exports to the US declined 10.82 per cent in rupee value, 14.22 per cent in dollar value and 19.51 per cent in volume, with frozen shrimp making up 93.55 per cent of the value. China became the largest destination by volume, importing 4,90,369 metric tonnes worth USD 1,611.32 million. The European Union imported 2,97,518 metric tonnes valued at USD 1,592.09 million, followed by Southeast Asia with 4,51,756 metric tonnes worth USD 1,348.97 million. Japan and the Middle East remained important buyers, importing 1,05,228 metric tonnes and 76,743 metric tonnes worth USD 452.91 million and USD 283 million, respectively.
On the logistics side, Visakhapatnam, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and Kochi were the three leading ports handling seafood export cargo during FY 2025–26. The export performance underlines the continued centrality of shrimp in India’s seafood trade, alongside growing contributions from fish, dried products and cephalopods.
Read Article: South Korea Surpasses India as World’s Sixth-Largest Stock Market, Driven by AI Chip Rally
