Vizag Port handles 50% of India's seafood exports in FY2025
Synopsis
Visakhapatnam Port's share of India's seafood exports more than doubled in a single year — from 29.67% in FY2024 to 50.87% in FY2025 — making it the country's dominant marine export gateway. With $2.19 billion flowing through its docks and a sustained 48.89% share in FY2026, Vizag's rise reshapes India's seafood export geography.
Key Takeaways
Visakhapatnam Port handled 50.87 per cent of India's seafood exports in FY2025 , up from 29.67 per cent in FY2024.
The port processed $2.19 billion in marine exports in FY2024 out of India's total $7.38 billion seafood export basket.
The share remained high at 48.89 per cent in FY2026 , indicating sustained dominance.
MoS Commerce Jitin Prasada shared the data in Parliament on 29 July in response to a query by MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy .
Andhra Pradesh has identified 99 ODOP products across 26 districts to deepen export diversification.
Visakhapatnam Port handled 50.87 per cent of India's total seafood exports in FY2025, making it the country's single largest marine export gateway, the Central government informed the Lok Sabha on 29 July. The port's share surged from 29.67 per cent in FY2024 — a jump of over 21 percentage points in a single year.
Key Figures Tabled in Parliament
Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada disclosed the data in response to a question raised by Lok Sabha MP Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy. According to figures from the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), marine exports through Visakhapatnam Port stood at $2.19 billion in FY2024, out of India's total seafood exports of $7.38 billion. The port's share climbed to 50.87 per cent in FY2025 and remained substantial at 48.89 per cent in FY2026, indicating sustained dominance.
Political Context and State Government's Claim
The Andhra Pradesh state government attributed the sharp rise in Vizag Port's share to the policy momentum under the Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led NDA government, which came to power following the 2024 state elections. According to an official state government release, the growth reflects improved export infrastructure and enhanced competitiveness in global markets. The release drew a contrast with the port's position during the preceding YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) administration in 2023-24, when the share stood at 29.67 per cent. Analysts note, however, that infrastructure investments in port logistics typically have multi-year gestation periods, and attributing year-on-year swings to a single government's tenure warrants caution.
ODOP Initiative and Broader Export Strategy
The parliamentary reply also highlighted Visakhapatnam Port's role as a key gateway under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative. Andhra Pradesh has identified 99 ODOP products across its 26 districts, with the Centre supporting producers through domestic and international exhibitions, the GeM ODOP Bazaar, buyer-seller meets, and outreach via Indian Missions abroad. These measures are aimed at expanding market access for value-added products from the state.
What This Means for India's Seafood Sector
India's total seafood export basket was valued at $7.38 billion in FY2024, with marine products being one of the country's top agricultural export categories. Vizag Port's growing dominance signals a geographic concentration of marine export logistics on the eastern coast. This comes amid broader efforts to modernise port infrastructure under the Sagarmala Programme and expand cold-chain capacity to meet international phytosanitary standards. The port's performance in FY2026 — at 48.89 per cent — suggests the high-water mark of FY2025 has moderated slightly, though the port retains its position as India's leading marine export hub.
Point of View
But the political framing deserves scrutiny — port infrastructure investments rarely yield results within one budget cycle, and the FY2024 baseline may reflect post-pandemic logistics disruptions rather than purely policy failure. The slight retreat to 48.89 per cent in FY2026 also suggests the FY2025 peak may have been partly cyclical. The more durable story here is structural: India's marine export logistics are concentrating on the eastern coast, raising questions about resilience and whether other ports are being crowded out rather than upgraded. MPEDA's role in sustaining quality certification pipelines will matter more than political credit-claiming in the long run.
NationPress
29 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of India's seafood exports did Visakhapatnam Port handle in FY2025?
Visakhapatnam Port handled 50.87 per cent of India's total seafood exports in FY2025, according to data from the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) tabled in the Lok Sabha. This was up sharply from 29.67 per cent in FY2024.
What is the total value of India's seafood exports handled through Vizag Port?
According to MPEDA data, Visakhapatnam Port processed $2.19 billion in marine exports in FY2024, out of India's total seafood export value of $7.38 billion. FY2025 and FY2026 rupee-equivalent breakdowns were not separately disclosed in the parliamentary reply.
Why did Vizag Port's share of seafood exports rise so sharply?
The Andhra Pradesh state government attributed the rise to improved export infrastructure and policy momentum under the TDP-led NDA government. However, port infrastructure investments typically take multiple years to bear results, and the full set of contributing factors — including logistics capacity, cold-chain upgrades, and global demand patterns — has not been independently assessed.
What is the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative's role at Vizag Port?
Visakhapatnam Port serves as a key export gateway under the ODOP initiative. Andhra Pradesh has identified 99 ODOP products across its 26 districts, with the Centre supporting producers through exhibitions, the GeM ODOP Bazaar, buyer-seller meets, and Indian Missions abroad to expand market access.
Did Vizag Port maintain its dominance in FY2026?
Yes, Visakhapatnam Port retained a 48.89 per cent share of India's marine exports in FY2026, according to the parliamentary reply. While slightly below the FY2025 peak of 50.87 per cent, it remained the country's leading marine export hub.
