Diversification of markets and seafood varieties is the name of the game when it comes to protecting the domestic industry from the blow of the US tariffs, said DV Swamy, chairman of Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA).
Speaking on the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the autonomous body under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Swamy said the heightened US tariffs imposed by the country’s President, Donald Trump, on Indian imports to the US, are an “opportunity” as opposed to being an “obstacle”.
“We learn from challenges and improve with each of them,” he said, adding that the Centre has identified Russia, the UK, the European Union, Norway, Switzerland, the Middle East and South Korea as new focus markets for seafood exports.
The country’s “adaptive” seafood sector has shown resilience throughout its five-decade history, said the chief of the agency that is mandated to promote India’s seafood exports.
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Recalling the “black tiger shrimp crisis” of the early 2000s to stress upon the importance of diversification, Swami said farmed shrimp output had collapsed during the calamity, but now, Black Tiger shrimp and Scampi are emerging as growing export varieties.
According to MPEDA data, the US and China remain India’s largest seafood markets, with America topping imports of frozen shrimp at 3,11,948 metric tonnes, followed by China at 1,36,164 MT.
In 2024-25, India exported 16,98,170 MT of seafood worth ₹62,408.45 crore (USD 7.45 billion). Frozen shrimp continued to dominate exports, accounting for 44 per cent of quantity and value, followed by frozen fish (20 per cent), frozen squid, frozen cuttlefish, and chilled and live items.
Andhra Pradesh led the state-wise export tally with shipments worth USD 2,536.77 million, followed by Tamil Nadu (USD 840.11 million), Kerala (USD 829.42 million), Gujarat (USD 702.75 million), West Bengal (USD 518.71 million) and Telangana (USD 73.44 million).
By port share, Visakhapatnam ranked first with 31.52 per cent of exports, followed by Navi Mumbai’s JNPT (10.81 per cent), Kochi (9.70 per cent), Chennai (7.75 per cent) and Kolkata (7.49 per cent).
Swamy said MPEDA has stepped up its overseas engagement programmes over the past 11 years, participating in international seafood fairs in the US, Spain, Germany, China, Japan, Korea, Russia and Dubai.
In the last five years alone, it organised 92 buyer-seller meets and facilitated 12 exporter delegations abroad, while it prepares for its flagship annual event, the Seafood Bharat Expo, which will be held in Chennai from July 1 to 3, 2026.
For the future, Swamy says it’s important to watch out for competition. “Ecuador is one country that might give India added competition in the coming years,” he noted.
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