Which Country is the Largest Importer of Indian Seafood?

Seafood is an important part of India’s economy and daily life. India produces a large amount of fish and other seafood, contributing about 8% of the world’s total production. Over the last decade, the country has made great progress in seafood exports. With speedy growth every year, India has become one of the largest suppliers of seafood to many countries around the world.

Strong Growth in Seafood Exports

In recent years, India’s seafood exports have increased a lot. The total value of exports has more than doubled, rising from about Rs.30,213 crore in 2013-14 to Rs.62,408 crore in 2024-25. This growth shows how important seafood has become for India’s trade. The country now exports more than 350 types of seafood products to nearly 130 countries.

Main Types of Seafood Exported

India exports a wide variety of seafood items. These include frozen shrimp, frozen fish, squid and cuttlefish. Other products such as dried fish, dried shrimp and live seafood like crabs, lobsters and live fish are also sent abroad. Among all these, frozen shrimp is the most important export item and earns the highest income for the country.

The Top Export Product

Frozen shrimp plays the biggest role in India’s seafood exports. Two popular types are Vannamei (white-leg shrimp) and black tiger shrimp. These shrimps are in high demand in international markets and make up more than half of India’s total seafood export value.

Countries that Import Indian Seafood

The United States is the largest buyer of Indian seafood. It alone accounts for more than one-third of India’s total seafood export value. The US mainly imports frozen shrimp, along with fish, squid and other seafood items.

China is the second-largest importer, showing strong demand for frozen shrimp and fish. The European Union stands in third place. Apart from these, regions like Southeast Asia, Japan and the Middle East are also important markets for Indian seafood.

India’s Rank in Shrimp Production

India holds the second position in the world in shrimp production. It is also one of the top exporters of shrimp globally. The country is especially known for producing large quantities of Vannamei shrimp, with annual production crossing 1 million metric tonnes.

Leading State in Shrimp Production

Andhra Pradesh is the largest shrimp-production state in India. Areas like Krishna, West Godavari, East Godavari and Nellore are famous for shrimp farming. Nellore is even known as the “Shrimp Capital of India” because of its large production.

India’s Rank in Fish Production

India is the second-largest fish-producing country in the world, after China. In 2024-25, India produced around 197.75 lakh tonnes of fish. This shows the country’s strong position in the global fisheries sector.

Top Fish Producing States

Andhra Pradesh leads in fish production with around 5 million metric tonnes. West Bengal comes second, producing more than 2 million metric tonnes. These states play a key role in meeting both domestic and international demand.