Seafood Exports
Seafood Exports
The seafood export from India has increased from Rs 43,720.98 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 62,408.45 crore in 2024-25 in terms of value, registering an increase of approximately 42.7 per cent during the period. Similarly, the export quantity increased from 11.49 lakh metric tonnes in 2020-21 to 16.98 lakh metric tonnes in 2024-25, reflecting a growth of about 47.8 per cent. The seafood export to the USA has increased from Rs 17,990.40 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 22,722.69 crore in 2024-25 in value and from 2.91 lakh metric tonnes in 2020-21 to 3.46 lakh metric tonnes in 2024-25 in quantity. The details of seafood exports, state-wise and market-wise, for the last five years are provided in Annexure I and Annexure II, respectively.
(c) The seafood sector of Tamil Nadu plays a vital role in the State’s coastal economy, with shrimp farming and exports contributing significantly to employment and income generation, and a large number of coastal households depending directly and indirectly on aquaculture, processing, and export-related activities for their livelihoods. During 2024-25, Tamil Nadu exported 1,07,659 metric tonnes of marine products valued at Rs 5,744.56 crore. During 2025-26 (April to January, provisional), Tamil Nadu exported 1,25,332 metric tonnes of marine products valued at Rs 6,323.79 crore as compared to 1,07,659 metric tonnes of marine products valued at Rs 5,744.56 crore in 2024-25, indicating continued growth and resilience of the seafood sector in the State despite fluctuations in global markets.
(d) The Government is aware of the challenges faced by the shrimp export sector due to fluctuations in international market demand, price volatility, and rising input costs. Despite ongoing geopolitical shifts and the imposition of tariff and non-tariff barriers by importing nations, India’s shrimp exports during April–January 2025–26 have increased in both quantity and value compared to the corresponding period of 2024–25. This indicates continued positive growth in shrimp exports. The details of frozen shrimp exports during the last two years and April–January 2025–26 are provided below:
ITEM
2023-24
2024-25
2025-26*
(APRIL-JANUARY)
2024-25
(APRIL-JANUARY)
FROZEN
SHRIMP
Q
716004
741529
659600
622182
V
40013.54
43334.25
41018.30
36029.38
*PROVISIONAL (Source: MPEDA)
To sustain and support the growth of seafood exports, the Department of Fisheries, Government of India, has conducted a series of stakeholder consultations and strategic engagements which, inter alia, include Investors’ Meets in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep Islands, Coastal States Fisheries Meet, Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Meet, Seafood Exporters Meet, and the World Fisheries Day celebration on the theme “India’s Blue Transformation: Strengthening Value Addition in Seafood Exports”. A Round Table Conference with Ambassadors and High Commissioners from 39 countries on seafood export promotion was also convened to strengthen diplomatic engagement, promote collaboration in sustainable fisheries, enhance trade relations, and advance technologies and emerging sectors in fisheries and aquaculture. The Government also conducts bilateral meetings with major importers to boost seafood exports. To strengthen India’s seafood sector globally, the government is facilitating ease of business by amending regulations, streamlining imports, and reducing import duties on key aquafeed ingredients, aquaculture inputs, and fish processing ingredients. In addition, to enhance the share of value-added products in the seafood export basket, the Government of India, in the recent Budget, has enhanced the duty-free import limit of specified inputs used in seafood processing from 1% to 3 % of the previous year’s FOB export value. As part of its sustainable efforts, the Department of Fisheries, Government of India, is promoting the installation of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in trawl nets, supporting the marine mammals project, strengthening antibiotic residue controls, and launching a comprehensive Traceability Framework. Further, the Sustainable Harnessing of Fisheries in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Rules, 2025, were notified to promote high-value, export-oriented fisheries in the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.
The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), a flagship scheme of the Department of Fisheries, Government of India, and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) support expansion of aquaculture, technology infusion, disease management, modern post-harvest infrastructure, and fish processing facilities to enhance production, productivity, and value addition. The Government of India, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has established the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) as a dedicated agency to facilitate the export of seafood. The MPEDA promotes Indian fisheries products through brand promotion, exporter enrolment, and importer liaison. It enhances industry capacity via training, awareness campaigns, workshops, and chintan shivirs. To explore new markets, MPEDA participates in international trade fairs, organizes Buyer-Seller Meets (BSMs) and Reverse Buyer-Seller Meets (RBSMs), and collaborates with Indian Missions abroad. To ensure quality meeting international standards, the Export Inspection Council (EIC), Department of Commerce, conducts periodic awareness and training programs for relevant stakeholders across the value chain.
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Annexure I
Statement regarding Seafood Exports:
State-Wise Export of Marine Products
Q: Quantity in Tons, V: Value in Rs. Crore
States
Units
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
Gujarat
Q
203917
200099
248863
284088
282158
V
4188.5
4421.1
5466.9
5511.4
5889.3
Maharashtra
Q
110822
193999
214167
222453
227866
V
3684.9
7303.9
7466.5
6923.3
7343.4
Goa
Q
16549
36057
63333
55167
45469
V
435.25
730.64
1007.6
934.2
788.81
Karnataka
Q
121348
120427
312347
301183
242143
V
1689.1
1962.2
4737.2
4785.1
3440.6
Kerala
Q
157698
182430
218629
196807
179660
V
5623.1
6971.6
8285
7231.8
6941.4
Tamil Nadu
Q
110023
114810
123157
134317
130315
V
5565.5
6559.6
6957.7
6854.2
7034.6
Andhra Pradesh
Q
279992
324904
328160
347927
366182
V
15832
20035
19847
19420
21246
Telangana
Q
0
3102
6676
11758
11772
V
0
156.91
358.39
565.1
615.42
Odisha
Q
60718
86765
85308
84231
92169
V
3107.7
4627.9
4546.5
3954.6
4668
West Bengal
Q
88443
103398
125025
132318
114529
V
3595.1
4742.5
5121.3
4145.5
4321.1
Delhi
Q
0
766
1083
1294
609
V
0
39
63.61
79.84
40.52
Others**
Q
0
2507
8536
10058
5299
V
0
35.64
111.47
118.46
79.54
Total
Q
1149510
1369264
1735286
1781602
1698170
V
43721
57586
63969
60524
62408
Source: MPEDA
**Others include Andaman Nicobar Island, Assam, Bihar, Daman & Diu, Puducherry, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand
*****
Annexure II
Statement regarding Seafood Exports:
Market Wise Export of Marine Products
Q: Quantity in MT, V: Value in Rs. Crore
Market
Unit
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
2024-25
JAPAN
Q:
86814
90308
109199
107968
102933
V:
3033.4
3242.9
3846.9
3279.4
3452.9
USA
Q:
291948
372611
306334
329192
346868
V:
17990
24603
20600
20892
22723
EUROPEAN UNION
Q:
152770
198484
207976
192505
215080
V:
6022.8
8570.1
10018
8461.6
9429.6
CHINA
Q:
218343
266989
405547
457215
396424
V:
6908.6
9056.7
11957
11853
10668
SOUTH EAST ASIA
Q:
217710
243401
431774
378630
347541
V:
4876.1
5748
9494
7907.3
8172.2
MIDDLE EAST
Q:
48606
58426
77677
75046
65956
V:
1843.4
2235.5
2623.1
2238.8
2328.5
OTHERS
Q:
133319
139045
196780
241045
223369
V:
3046.3
4130
5429.5
5891.4
5634.8
TOTAL
Q:
1149510
1369264
1735286
1781602
1698170
V:
43721
57586
63969
60524
62408
Source: MPEDA
This information was given by Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh in the Lok Sabha today in response to a question asked.