Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Sep 13: Karnataka recorded a sharp rise in seafood exports during 2025-26, with the export value increasing by 56.1 per cent to Rs 5,371.85 crore, compared to Rs 3,440.57 crore in 2024-25. The growth is significantly higher than the national growth rate of 18.4 per cent.
According to data recently tabled in the Lok Sabha, Karnataka has improved its ranking among seafood-exporting states, moving up from sixth place in 2024-25 to fifth place in 2025-26.
India's seafood exports reached an all-time high of Rs 73,890.46 crore in 2025-26, up from Rs 62,408.45 crore in the previous financial year. Export volume also rose by 16.1 per cent, increasing from 16.98 lac tonnes to 19.72 lac tonnes.
Among the southern states, Andhra Pradesh retained its position as the country's largest seafood exporter, recording an 11.9 per cent increase in exports to Rs 23,765.11 crore.
Kerala recorded seafood exports worth Rs 8,466.77 crore, registering 22 per cent growth, while Tamil Nadu exported seafood worth Rs 7,660.48 crore, an increase of 8.9 per cent over the previous year. Though a relatively smaller exporter, Telangana recorded exports worth Rs 715.02 crore, registering 16.2 per cent growth.
Karnataka registered the highest percentage growth among the major seafood-exporting states in southern India. The state's export volume increased from 2,42,143 tonnes in 2024-25 to 3,37,239 tonnes in 2025-26, reflecting a sharp 39.3 per cent rise.
The state's seafood exports stood at 1,20,427 tonnes valued at Rs 1,962.19 crore in 2021-22. Exports increased to 3,12,347 tonnes worth Rs 4,737.23 crore in 2022-23. In 2023-24, export volume declined slightly to 3,01,183 tonnes, while the export value remained almost unchanged at Rs 4,785.05 crore.
Exports declined significantly in 2024-25, but witnessed a strong recovery in 2025-26, with improvements in both export volume and earnings.
Nationally, exports of almost all major categories of marine products registered growth during 2025-26 compared to the previous year, with frozen shrimp continuing to dominate the export basket. Shrimp exports increased from 7.42 lac tonnes to 7.93 lac tonnes, while export value rose by 13.2 per cent, from Rs 43,334.25 crore to Rs 49,037.93 crore.
Among other product categories, dried marine products recorded the highest growth, with export volume rising by more than 62 per cent to 4.10 lac tonnes, while export value increased by nearly 78 per cent to Rs 5,079.09 crore.