New Delhi, April 22: India’s seafood exports reached a record value of ₹72,325.82 crore (approximately $8.28 billion) in the fiscal year 2026. The total volume of exports stood at 19.32 lakh metric tons, according to provisional data released by the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA).
Frozen shrimp led the demand in the country’s seafood exports, accounting for ₹47,973.13 crore ($5.51 billion) of the total. The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying reported a 4.6% increase in shrimp volume and a 6.35% rise in value, solidifying its dominance in India’s seafood export sector.
The United States remained the largest export destination, with India exporting $2.32 billion worth of seafood. However, there was a decline in both volume (19.8%) and value (14.5%) of exports to the U.S., primarily reflecting the impact of tariffs.
Strong growth in other markets, including China, the European Union, and Southeast Asian countries, offset this decline. Exports to China increased by 22.7% in value and 20.1% in volume. The European Union also saw significant growth, with a 37.9% rise in export value and a 35.2% increase in volume.
Southeast Asia experienced robust growth as well, with increases of over 36.1% in value and 28.2% in volume. Exports to Japan rose by 6.55% in value, while exports to West Asia saw a slight decline of 0.55%, attributed to regional instability at the fiscal year’s end.
In addition to shrimp, exports of frozen fish, squid, cuttlefish, dried products, and live products showed positive momentum, while cold products experienced a downturn. Improvements were noted in the export of surimi, fish meal, and fish oil.
The top five ports—Visakhapatnam, JNPT, Kochi, Kolkata, and Chennai—accounted for nearly 64% of the total export value, highlighting their ongoing significance in India’s seafood export supply chain.
The government has initiated several targeted measures aimed at strengthening fisheries and aquaculture, modernizing value chains, and boosting seafood exports.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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