Marine Products Export Development Authority said India’s seafood exports rose to a record ₹72,325.82 crore (about $8.28 billion) in FY26, with volumes reaching 19.32 lakh metric tonnes, according to provisional data.
Frozen shrimp remained the key growth driver, contributing ₹47,973.13 crore (about $5.51 billion) and accounting for over two-thirds of total export earnings. Shrimp shipments grew 4.6% in volume and 6.35% in value.
Market shift underway
The United States retained its position as the largest export destination, with imports of $2.32 billion. However, shipments declined 19.8% in volume and 14.5% in value, largely due to the impact of reciprocal tariffs.
The decline was offset by strong growth in alternative markets. Exports to China rose 22.7% in value and 20.1% in volume, while the European Union recorded growth of 37.9% in value and 35.2% in volume.
Shipments to Southeast Asia increased 36.1% in value and 28.2% in volume, indicating a broad-based diversification strategy.
Product mix, logistics
Exports of frozen fish, squid, cuttlefish, dried products and live items recorded positive growth, while chilled products saw a decline. Surimi, fishmeal and fish oil exports also showed improvement.
Japan registered a 6.55% increase in export value, while West Asia saw a marginal decline of 0.55% amid regional instability towards the end of the financial year.
The top five ports—Visakhapatnam, JNPT, Kochi, Kolkata and Chennai—accounted for nearly 64% of total export value, underscoring their importance in the supply chain.