India exported 19.72 lakh tonnes of seafood worth Rs 73,890.46 crore (US$8.46 billion) in 2025-26, an all-time high by both volume and value, according to the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA). Tamil Nadu’s share is smaller than its coastline suggests: marine products originating in the state were worth Rs 4,012.05 crore in 2023-24, according to DGCI&S figures given in a Lok Sabha answer in February 2025.
That gap is the story for Chennai’s exporters. The state landed more marine fish than any other in 2025, yet much of the catch is sold fresh at home rather than processed for export. This guide sets out what India ships, where Tamil Nadu stands and the rules any Chennai exporter has to follow.
What India exports
Frozen shrimp is the backbone of the trade. MPEDA’s 2025-26 figures by product:
| Item (2025-26) | Value (US$ million) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen shrimp | 5,624.48 | 66.52% of dollar earnings; 7.93 lakh tonnes |
| Frozen fish | 643.70 | |
| Dried items | 577.44 | Up 78.05% in rupee value |
| Frozen squid | 513.84 | 1.02 lakh tonnes |
| Frozen cuttlefish | 331.96 | Up 16.25% in dollar value |
| Chilled items | 71.27 | |
| Live items | 62.43 | Up 11.46% in dollar value |
The USA remained the largest market by value at US$2,328.74 million, but its imports fell 14.22% in dollar terms after tariff increases. China was the largest by volume at 4.90 lakh tonnes, and the EU, South-east Asia, Japan and the Middle East followed. For comparison, 2024-25 exports were 16.98 lakh tonnes worth Rs 62,408.45 crore (US$7.45 billion), per MPEDA’s earlier press note.
Where Tamil Nadu stands
| Year | Marine exports of Tamil Nadu origin (Rs crore) |
|---|---|
| 2019-20 | 4,148.43 |
| 2020-21 | 3,376.50 |
| 2021-22 | 4,193.57 |
| 2022-23 | 4,641.99 |
| 2023-24 | 4,012.05 |
These DGCI&S figures count goods by the state of origin on the shipping bill, not the port they left from. In volume, Tamil Nadu shipped about 89,000 tonnes in 2023-24, close to 5% of India’s seafood exports, putting it seventh among states, India Seatrade News reported in July 2025. Industries Minister T.R.B. Rajaa, of the previous government, had then set out a target of US$5 billion a year. We could not find a port-wise figure for Chennai: MPEDA names Vizag, JNPT and Kochi as the top seafood ports and does not publish a Chennai number.
The catch itself is large. Tamil Nadu recorded 6.85 lakh tonnes of marine fish landings in 2025, the highest of any state, overtaking Gujarat, according to ICAR-CMFRI estimates reported in May 2026. Indian mackerel was the top species nationally at 2.70 lakh tonnes. Fish landed at Kasimedu and other harbours near Chennai feed both local markets and export processors.
The rules for exporters
Seafood is one of the most tightly regulated exports. The main steps, from MPEDA’s exporter guide and its citizen’s charter:
- Importer-Exporter Code from the DGFT, which is needed before anything else.
- MPEDA registration as a manufacturer, merchant or ornamental fish exporter, filed online. The registration-cum-membership certificate (RCMC) costs Rs 5,000 plus GST, and the charter targets seven working days.
- Plant registration if you process. Fees run from Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000 depending on capacity, the process takes about 60 days, and plants must meet EU and MPEDA standards. Storage premises, pre-processing centres, ice plants and vehicles carrying fish are registered separately.
- Merchant exporters without their own plant need a one-year agreement with a registered plant and, for frozen products, a Rs 15 lakh bank guarantee valid for five years.
- Catch certificate for wild-caught fish going to the EU, Japan and some other markets, issued by MPEDA’s regional office within two working days. It costs Rs 1,500 for chilled or Rs 3,000 for frozen consignments, plus GST.
- Health certificate for the EU, issued by the Export Inspection Agency. The Export Inspection Council says it is issued only for products from approved establishments, must go before shipment and must reach EU customs as a signed original.
Rules change with each market, so check the current EU and US requirements with MPEDA before signing a contract. For a new business, talk to a customs broker or trade adviser about the paperwork.
MPEDA in Chennai
MPEDA’s Regional Division for Chennai is at No. 167, First Floor, Interpretation Building, TNFDC Eco Park, Poonamallee High Road, Chetpet, Chennai 600010. The citizen’s charter lists the phone numbers as 044 2836 5152 and 044 2836 3132 and the email as ro.che@mpeda.gov.in. There are sub-regional offices at Tuticorin and Nagapattinam, an ELISA testing lab at Nagapattinam, and the head office is in Kochi.
Quick answers
How much seafood did India export in 2025-26?
19,72,018 tonnes worth Rs 73,890.46 crore, or US$8.46 billion, according to MPEDA.
How much seafood does Tamil Nadu export?
Rs 4,012.05 crore of marine products of Tamil Nadu origin in 2023-24, per DGCI&S data given to Parliament.
What is India’s biggest seafood export?
Frozen shrimp, which earned US$5.62 billion, two-thirds of the total, in 2025-26.
Where is MPEDA’s Chennai office?
In the TNFDC Eco Park building on Poonamallee High Road, Chetpet.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- India’s seafood exports 2025-26: export figures press note (MPEDA)
- Seafood exports 2024-25 press note (MPEDA)
- Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1264, 11 February 2025: state-wise marine exports (Parliament Digital Library)
- Citizen’s Charter: offices, services and fees (MPEDA)
- How to become an exporter (MPEDA)
- Health certificate for fishery products exported to the EU (Export Inspection Council of India)
- Tamil Nadu records highest marine fish landings in 2025 (CMFRI repository, The Hindu, May 2026)
- Tamil Nadu plans seafood exports of $5 bn, sets roadmap for blue economy (India Seatrade News, July 2025)
