Kochi: India exported a record volume of seafood in the 2025-26 financial year, achieving its highest-ever export earnings despite a decline in revenue from its largest overseas market, the United States.
The country shipped 1.972 million tonnes of marine products worth ₹73,890.46 crore during the year, according to the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA).
MPEDA Chairman P Jawahar said the figures represented an all-time high in both export volume and value, achieved despite ongoing global economic and trade challenges.
US remains largest market by value
The United States continued to be the biggest destination for Indian seafood exports in terms of revenue, although earnings from the market declined during the year.
India exported marine products worth ₹20,263.27 crore to the US in 2025-26, down from ₹22,722.69 crore in the previous financial year.
According to MPEDA, export revenue from the US fell by 10.82 percent, largely due to tariffs and countervailing duties imposed on Indian seafood products.
China ranks second in export revenue
China remained India's second-largest seafood market by value, accounting for imports worth ₹14,091.69 crore.
The European Union followed with imports valued at ₹13,935.29 crore, while Southeast Asian countries imported marine products worth ₹11,819.13 crore. Exports to Japan generated ₹3,963.36 crore.
MPEDA said export earnings from all four markets increased compared with the previous year.
China leads in export volume
Although the United States topped the list in terms of export revenue, China remained India's largest buyer by volume.
India exported 490,000 tonnes of marine products to China during the 2025-26 financial year, an increase of more than 23 per cent from 396,000 tonnes a year earlier.
The rise was driven in part by higher shipments of lower-value products, including dried fish. As a result, China ranked first by quantity but second by value.
Southeast Asia imported 451,000 tonnes of Indian marine products, followed by the European Union with 297,000 tonnes. Exports to the United States stood at 279,000 tonnes, while Japan imported 105,000 tonnes.
Frozen shrimp continues to drive exports
Frozen shrimp remained India's leading seafood export product, generating ₹49,037.93 crore in revenue.
Exports of frozen shrimp totalled 792,000 tonnes during the financial year, with the United States remaining the largest buyer at 256,000 tonnes.
Frozen fish ranked second among export categories, earning ₹5,658.37 crore.
Exports of dried fish generated ₹5,079.09 crore, while frozen squid brought in ₹4,493.80 crore. Chilled fish products accounted for ₹622.31 crore in export earnings.
Kochi retains third place among major export ports
Kochi continued to rank among India's leading seafood export hubs, remaining third among ports handling marine product shipments.
Visakhapatnam Port retained the top position with seafood exports worth ₹20,217.95 crore during the financial year.
Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Maharashtra ranked second, recording exports worth ₹8,717.85 crore.
Kochi Port exported 179,000 tonnes of marine products and generated ₹7,285.40 crore in export revenue.
Export earnings rise after two years of decline
Revenue from seafood exports through Kochi Port increased by more than 20 percent from ₹6,050.20 crore in the previous financial year.
The increase marks the first rise in export earnings from the port since the 2023-24 financial year.
Kochi had recorded a peak seafood export revenue of ₹7,550.48 crore in 2022-23. Earnings then fell to ₹6,120.10 crore in 2023-24 and declined further to ₹6,050.20 crore in 2024-25 before rebounding this year.