India’s Seafood Exports Cross ₹72,000 Crore, Reach All-Time High in the history of marine products exports from the country; Frozen Shrimp Leads Exports; USA and China Remain Top Importers

Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying India’s Seafood Exports Cross ₹72,000 Crore, Reach All-Time High in the history of marine products exports from the country; Frozen Shrimp Leads Exports; USA and China Remain Top Importers

Posted On: 21 APR 2026 9:18PM by PIB Delhi India’s fisheries sector continues to play a key role in advancing the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of a Viksit Bharat @ 2047. Emphasising the sector’s role in livelihood security and national growth, the Hon’ble Prime Minister has said that “the Government will keep working towards a vibrant fisheries sector with emphasis on improving the lives of fish farmers.” Guided by this vision, the Government of India has initiated a series of targeted measures aimed at strengthening fisheries and aquaculture, modernising value chains and expanding seafood exports.

To strengthen the fisheries sector and promote seafood exports, under the leadership of Union Minister, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAH&D) and Ministry of Panchayati Raj

(MoPR), Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, the Department of Fisheries has undertaken several focused initiatives. These include a Round Table Conference on Seafood Exports with participation from diplomats of 39 countries and key international organisations including ADB, AFD, FAO, JICA and BOBP-IGO, focusing on exports, value addition, sustainability, technology transfer and emerging areas such as ornamental fisheries and seaweed, Investors’ Meets in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep to generate private sector interest in fisheries and allied activities, and the Seafood Exporters Meet 2026 held in New Delhi, which focused on strengthening the marine export ecosystem, increasing value addition and expanding global market reach. In addition, coordinated measures to support market diversification and export expansion through continuous monitoring of export trends, market conditions, and engagement with exporters, State Governments, and other stakeholders have been made.

Market access has expanded with the approval of 211 new export establishments across key global markets, including the EU, UK, China, Russia and Brazil. Focused diplomatic and trade outreach has supported entry into alternative markets. In parallel, regulatory and compliance frameworks have been strengthened through the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) comparability approval from the United States, mandatory use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in shrimp trawls, enhanced controls on antibiotics and residues, the launch of the National Traceability Framework in 2025, and the

notification of the EEZ Rules, 2025 to support sustainable and export-oriented fisheries.

As a result of the ongoing efforts, India’s seafood exports rose to a record ₹72,325.82 crore (US$ 8.28 billion) in FY 2025–26, with volumes reaching 19.32 lakh metric tonnes, according to provisional data released by MPEDA.

Frozen shrimp remained the primary growth driver, contributing ₹47,973.13 crore (US$ 5.51 billion), accounting for over two-thirds of total export earnings. Shipments of shrimp grew 4.6% in volume and

6.35% in value, reinforcing its dominance in India’s marine products export basket.The United States retained its position as the largest export destination, with imports totalling US$2.32 billion. However, shipments to the US declined by 19.8% in volume and 14.5% in value, reflecting primarily the impact of reciprocal tariffs.

This decline was offset by robust growth in alternative markets such as China, EU and Southeast Asian countries. Exports to China, the second-largest destination, rose 22.7% in value and 20.1% in volume. The European Union posted strong gains, with exports increasing by 37.9% in value and 35.2% in volume.

Southeast Asia also recorded significant expansion, with growth of over 36.1% and 28.2% in value and volume, respectively. Exports to Japan grew 6.55% by value, while those to West Asia showed a marginal decline of 0.55%, due to the turmoil in the region during the fag end of the financial year.

Several individual markets registered strong double-digit growth, underscoring a clear shift towards diversification amid trade headwinds in traditional markets.

On the product side, exports of frozen fish, squid, cuttlefish, dried items, and live products showed positive momentum, while chilled products declined. The export of the surimi, fishmeal and fish oil reported improved performance.

In terms of logistics, the top five ports—Vizag, JNPT, Kochi, Kolkata and Chennai—accounted for nearly 64% of total export value, highlighting their continued importance in India’s seafood export supply chain.

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