India's Seafood Industry: A Quiet Giant Making Global Waves

A Coastline of Opportunity

India's coastline is not merely scenery, it's a money machine. Stretching over 8,000 kilometers and supported by a vast Exclusive Economic Zone, it's one of the world's most bountiful marine areas. From the shrimp tanks of Andhra Pradesh to the fishing vessels in Tamil Nadu and the shipping centers of Gujarat, this coastline and its sea nourish a huge industry.

But ditch the old image of fishing. This industry is changing quickly. These days, India's seafood game is driven by information, cold storage accuracy, and an expanding emphasis on clean practices. Exporters aren't just old guards, they're young, technology-savvy, and optimized for international trade.

India isn't exporting frozen fish anymore. It's exporting quality, accountability, and a supply chain that can be trusted from start to finish.

A Global Export Giant

Indian seafood is served on plates in New York, Tokyo, and Berlin, and it's no coincidence. India has become one of the largest seafood exporters in the world while quietly getting the job done. In 2023–24 alone, India exported nearly 1.2 million metric tons of seafood, earning well over $7.5 billion. That's not a side business, that's a global trade machine.

What's behind it? Shrimp. Particularly the frozen variety. America, China, and the EU can't get enough. And not just wild catch anymore. Aquaculture—shrimp farming, to be precise—is flourishing in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Local farmers are responding with improved hatcheries, safer methods, and smarter systems. They're not farming seafood, they're farming consistency, quality, and international confidence with every export.

Local Consumption on the Rise

Seafood is no longer just for the coast. Of course, traditional favorites such as Bengali fish curry and Goan prawn balchão continue to dominate local plates, but increasingly, urban India is getting in on the act. With ever more folks forsaking red meat for lighter, protein-packed alternatives, fish and shrimp are turning up in shopping carts far from the shoreline.

What's driving this change? Seafood delivery online. E-commerce sites and direct-to-consumer companies are delivering fresh, frozen, and even pre-marinated seafood to cities where decent fish used to be scarce. One-day delivery and cleaner supply chains make it possible to purchase seafood as simply as ordering dinner.

And with that new demand comes stress on suppliers to raise their quality, cold-storage, and transparency game.

Challenges: Sustainability and Infrastructure

That said, it's not a totally smooth ride. India's seafood industry is expanding rapidly, but some of it remains mired in the past.

Overfishing is taking marine ecosystems to the brink. Coastal areas are being overdeveloped with too little regulation. Climate change is already beginning to reposition fish stocks. If the industry does not tighten its hold on sustainability, through improved rules, cleaner operations, and actual enforcement, it may burn out its own future.

And then there's the infrastructure deficit. Cold storage in most fishing communities is either unavailable or unreliable. Power outages, damaged roads, and antiquated ports often have fresh catch rotting before it even hits the water. If India is to maintain its seafood sector, this is where serious investment, particularly through savvy public-private partnerships, must occur.

Abad Fisheries Private Limited

Company Name: Abad Fisheries
Headquarters: Kochi, Kerala, India
Core Products: Frozen Shrimp, Squid, Cuttlefish, Octopus

Abad Fisheries has been a part of India's seafood backbone since 1931. Headquartered in Kochi, this enterprise understands the sea and the industry like few others. They deal in frozen shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, and octopus, all sourced and processed in state-of-the-art facilities that conform to international food safety norms. What differentiates them is consistency: clean sourcing, gentle handling, and a keen eye for quality. Abad's seafood arrives fresh, consistent, and ready for international kitchens. With almost a century of experience, they're not only shipping products, they're shipping confidence.

Abad Fisheries Private Limited

Location:

Based in Cochin, Kerala – ideally located near India’s major fishing harbors and aquaculture hubs to ensure premium raw material access.

Products:

• Shrimp: PD, PUD, HOSO, HLSO
• Cephalopods: Squid, Cuttlefish, Octopus
• Fish: Tuna, Mahi Mahi, Reef Cod, Red Snapper

Processing Facilities & Machinery:

• 11 EU-approved factories with HACCP, BRC, IFS & SEDEX certifications
• Daily processing capacity of 300 MT
• Advanced IQF tunnels, contact, spiral, and blast freezers
• Automated grading, peeling, and glazing systems
• In-house QC and microbiology labs
• 4 public cold storages with over 15,000 MT capacity

Specifications:

• Strict compliance with EU guidelines
• IFS & SEDEX certified for food safety and ethical standards
• Export-ready in bulk, retail, or HoReCa packaging
• Traceable, sustainably sourced seafood

Kartik Cold Storage

Company Name: Kartik Cold Storage
Headquarters: Veraval, Gujarat, India
Core Products: Frozen and processed seafood

Kartik Cold Storage has been a part of Gujarat's seafood tale since 1994. Operating from Veraval, one of India's most bustling fishing ports, the organization has established itself as a reputable processor and exporter of a variety of frozen seafood with precision and care. With ribbonfish and cuttlefish on one hand and mahi mahi and tiger-toothed croaker on the other, their repertoire is varied and always in demand in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

Established by Rajesh Masani, Kartik combines practical experience with contemporary hygiene practices to ensure each shipment meets the world's standards. From the fresh catch to packaging for export, their facilities take care of it all, securing flavor, texture, and freshness from beginning to end.

Since they ship over 80 export shipments annually, Kartik Cold Storage is not merely exporting seafood, they're providing consistent quality supported by years of trust.