Visakhapatnam: The Visakhapatnam port has emerged as India's top seafood export gateway in 2025-26, handling 3.28 lakh tonnes valued at ₹20,217 crore, according to the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA).
Record Seafood Exports Despite Global Challenges
MPEDA chairman P Jawahar announced that India's seafood exports reached record levels in both volume and value during the fiscal year, totaling 19.72 lakh tonnes worth ₹73,890.46 crore ($8.46 billion). This achievement came despite global headwinds. Exports grew by 16.13% in volume, 18.4% in rupee value, and 13.44% in dollar terms.
Top Importers and Export Commodities
The United States and China remained the largest importers of Indian seafood. Frozen shrimp continued to dominate exports, followed by frozen fish. Frozen shrimp alone generated ₹49,037.93 crore ($5.62 billion), accounting for 40.19% of total export volume and 66.52% of export earnings. India exported 7,92,647 tonnes of frozen shrimp, recording growth of 13.16% in rupee terms and 8.64% in dollar terms.
Port-Wise Performance
Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNP) ranked second with over 3.1 lakh tonnes worth ₹8,717 crore, followed by Kochi (1.79 lakh tonnes; ₹7,285 crore), Kolkata (1.07 lakh tonnes; ₹5,913 crore), and Chennai (1.10 lakh tonnes; ₹5,411 crore). Other ports together handled 9.2 lakh tonnes worth ₹26,344 crore.
Visakhapatnam's Contribution
Of India's total seafood exports of $8.46 billion, shipments through Visakhapatnam accounted for $2.31 billion, representing 27.42%. Officials attributed Vizag's performance to Andhra Pradesh's strong aquaculture base, particularly vannamei shrimp farming. The port's efficiency in handling large volumes also contributed to its top ranking.
Frozen Shrimp Market Details
The United States was the largest importer of frozen shrimp (2,56,128 tonnes), followed by China (1,69,505 tonnes), the European Union (1,35,599 tonnes), Southeast Asia (83,810 tonnes), Japan (40,776 tonnes), and the Middle East (30,478 tonnes). Exports of vannamei and black tiger shrimp rose in both volume and value. The US remained the top market in value terms, importing 2,79,193 tonnes worth ₹20,263.27 crore ($2.33 billion), though exports declined across value and volume. China led in volume with 4,90,369 tonnes, followed by the EU and Southeast Asia.
