Russia cuts fish, seafood imports from India 10% in 2024 to 20,000 tonnes - Fish Union

MOSCOW. March 28 (Interfax) - Russia imported 20,000 tonnes of fish and seafood from India in 2024, down 10% compared to the previous year, while supplies fell 20% in monetary terms to $130 million, the Fish Union's analytical center told Interfax, citing an analysis of Indian customs statistics.

The decline in imports is partly due to the high base of 2023, when shipments were at record levels, the center said. Strong competition from other suppliers, particularly Ecuador and Iran as well as Thailand, Indonesia and China, also played a role.

The main product which Russia imports from India is frozen vannamei shrimp. Shipments of this product decreased 10% to 18,000 tonnes and were down 15% in monetary terms to $120 million. Imports of cooked and frozen vannamei shrimp to Russia last year fell 50% in both volume and value, to 500 tonnes and $3 million.

Russia also imports small amounts of tiger shrimp, fish mince, lobsters, octopus and cuttlefish from India.

Overall, India exported 733,000 tonnes of shrimp (up 3%) worth $5 billion (up 2%) in 2024, the center said. Of this, vannamei shrimp from aquaculture accounted for 77% of the volume, wild-caught shrimp for 8% and tiger shrimp for 6%. The main buyers by volume were the U.S. (41%), China (19%), the EU (11%), Vietnam (6%) and Japan (5%). Russia accounted for around 2.5% by both weight and value.