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Marine

Export squid, cuttlefish and octopus

Frozen squid, cuttlefish and octopus from the west and south coasts. Needs MPEDA registration, an EIC plant and an EU catch certificate.

Free, with conditionsHS 0307
HS code
0307
Molluscs, live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried or salted. Squid and cuttlefish are under 0307 42–49 (frozen squid tubes, whole squid, cuttlefish) and octopus under 0307 51–59.
Export policy
Free, with conditions
Free in Schedule 2, subject to pre-shipment quality inspection notified by the Government (EIC). Species in the Schedules of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 are prohibited, and CITES-listed species need CITES papers. MPEDA registration is compulsory. Confirm the line on DGFT.
Registrations
4
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 930 mn
to 64 countries

What is exported

Squid and cuttlefish are among India’s largest wild-caught seafood exports after shrimp and fish, landed mostly by trawlers in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. They are exported frozen — whole, cleaned, as tubes and rings — and some squid is dried. Octopus is a smaller line. China, South-East Asia, the EU (Spain and Italy above all) and Japan are the main buyers in MPEDA’s market data.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Indian squid (Uroteuthis/Loligo duvaucelii)The main squid landed on both coasts; sold whole, as tubes, rings and tentacles.
  • Pharaoh cuttlefish (Sepia pharaonis)Whole cleaned cuttlefish and fillets, popular in the EU and East Asia.
  • OctopusWhole frozen, cleaned or boiled; a smaller line for Southern Europe and Asia.
  • Dried squidSun-dried or machine-dried for East and South-East Asian markets.

Where it is grown or made

  • GujaratVeraval, Porbandar and Mangrol — large trawler landings and processing plants.
  • Maharashtra and GoaRatnagiri, Raigad, Mumbai (Sassoon Dock) and Goa.
  • Karnataka and KeralaMangaluru and Malpe; Kochi and Kollam (Neendakara).
  • Tamil NaduThoothukudi, Rameswaram and Chennai.

Season

Fishing pauses during the annual ban on mechanised fishing — about 61 days in the monsoon on the west coast (from 1 June) and in April–June on the east coast; supply is best from September to March.

Export packing

  • IQF or block-frozen in poly-lined inner cartons (often 1 kg or 2 kg) inside 10–20 kg master cartons, with glaze declared.
  • 40-ft reefer containers at –18 °C or colder from an EIC-approved, MPEDA-registered plant.

Who buys abroad

  • Seafood importers and re-processors in China and Vietnam
  • Spanish and Italian importers supplying retail and food service
  • Japanese and Korean trading houses
  • Gulf distributors and hotel suppliers

The quality buyers ask for

Form
Whole round, whole cleaned, tubes, rings, tentacles, fillets; IQF or block
Size grade
Pieces per kg (e.g. 10/20, 20/40, 40/60) or by tube length in cm, as the buyer specifies
Glaze
Declared glaze percentage; net weight stated without glaze
Temperature
Core –18 °C or colder through storage and transport
Contaminants
Cadmium and other heavy metals within EU/buyer limits; additives only as permitted

Certificates

  • MPEDA registrationRequiredEvery seafood exporter must be registered with MPEDA (MPEDA Act, 1972).
  • EIC-approved plant and health certificateRequiredProcessing in an EIC-approved plant, with EIC health certificates for the EU, China and other markets that need them.
  • EU catch certificateOften askedRequired for wild-caught fishery products entering the EU under the IUU Regulation.
  • US FDA food facility registrationOften askedRequired for any plant that makes, packs or holds food for the USA.
  • BRCGSOften askedRetailer food-safety standard, common for UK and EU private label.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

40-ft reefers at –18 °C or colder, typically about 24–27 tonnes of master cartons depending on pack.

How it travels

Sea freight from Pipavav, Mundra, Nhava Sheva, Mangaluru, Kochi and Thoothukudi.

Storage

Cold store at –18 °C or colder; avoid temperature swings that cause freezer burn.

Shelf life

Typically 18–24 months frozen.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Species (common and scientific name), “caught at sea”, FAO fishing area, fishing gear category, net weight without glaze, and the EIC plant approval number on EU packs.
  • EU food and feed: product name, ingredients, net quantity, lot, best-before, business operator in the EU and country of origin, in the language of the selling country.
  • USA: statement of identity, net quantity (US and metric units), ingredients, allergens, manufacturer or distributor and “Product of India”.
  • Every carton or bag: product, grade, lot or batch number, net and gross weight, exporter name and “Made in India” / “Product of India”, matching the invoice and packing list.
Where to get it tested

EIC/EIA laboratories and EIC-approved labs test seafood and fishmeal for export certification (eicindia.gov.in); MPEDA runs quality-control labs; NABL-accredited private labs are also used (nabl-india.org).

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • MPEDAExporter registration (manufacturer or merchant exporter) and RCMC under the MPEDA Act, 1972. Every exporter of marine products must be registered.e-mpeda.nic.in ↗
  • Export Inspection Council (EIC)Approval of the processing plant and a health certificate (Certificate for Export) for each consignment to markets that require it, such as the EU and China.eicindia.gov.in ↗

Quality and checks

  • EU catch certificate under the EU IUU Regulation for every wild-caught consignment, validated through the Indian authority, with the vessel and landing details.
  • Microbiology, cadmium and other heavy metals (cephalopods are tested for cadmium), and sulphite or phosphate use within the buyer’s limits.
  • Glaze and net weight declared correctly; cold chain at –18 °C or colder from plant to ship.
How to start small

Register with MPEDA as a merchant exporter and work with an EIC-approved plant in Veraval, Ratnagiri, Mangaluru or Kochi that processes cephalopods. Start with one container of frozen squid tubes or whole cuttlefish to a South-East Asian or Gulf buyer on LC. Since 15 September 2026, a consignment worth up to ₹3 lakh FOB does not need an RCMC (DGFT Notification 36/2026-27). Registrations that a law requires for the product still apply.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Shipping to the EU without a valid catch certificate — the consignment is refused at the border.
  • Over-glazing or water-soaking to add weight; buyers deglaze and claim the short weight.
  • Buying during the monsoon fishing ban, when supply is thin and old stock is passed off as fresh.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (5)
  1. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2)
  2. MPEDA — Become an exporter (registration)
  3. MPEDA — Marine products exports (item-, market- and port-wise data)
  4. EIC — Export of fresh, frozen and processed fish and fishery products
  5. European Commission — IUU fishing: catch certification scheme

Trade data

Indian squid, cuttlefish and octopus exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 930 mn
+11% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +30.3%
US$ 714 mn → US$ 930 mn
Buyer countries
64
Average export price
US$ 4.73
per kg · 1,96,736 tonnes shipped · US$ 4.17 the year before
Spain: US$ 199 mnThailand: US$ 160 mnItaly: US$ 153 mnChina: US$ 79.7 mnVietnam: US$ 78.4 mnMalaysia: US$ 48.9 mnGreece: US$ 42.2 mnPortugal: US$ 39.9 mnUnited States of America: US$ 32.9 mnFrance: US$ 18.9 mnJapan: US$ 12.5 mnBelgium: US$ 10.7 mnNetherlands: US$ 6.1 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 5.5 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 5 mnCanada: US$ 4.2 mnTaiwan: US$ 3.4 mnGermany: US$ 2.8 mnIsrael: US$ 2.5 mnAustralia: US$ 2.4 mnHong Kong: US$ 1.8 mnRomania: US$ 1.6 mnSpain: US$ 199 mnSpainThailand: US$ 160 mnThailandItaly: US$ 153 mnChina: US$ 79.7 mnChinaVietnam: US$ 78.4 mnMalaysia: US$ 48.9 mnMalaysiaGreece: US$ 42.2 mnPortugal: US$ 39.9 mnUnited States of America: US$ 32.9 mnUnited States of AmericaFrance: US$ 18.9 mnFranceJapan: US$ 12.5 mnBelgium: US$ 10.7 mnNetherlands: US$ 6.1 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 5.5 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 5 mnCanada: US$ 4.2 mnTaiwan: US$ 3.4 mnGermany: US$ 2.8 mnIsrael: US$ 2.5 mnAustralia: US$ 2.4 mnHong Kong: US$ 1.8 mnRomania: US$ 1.6 mnIndia
Where Indian squid, cuttlefish and octopus goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 553 mn5532020-212021-22: US$ 741 mn7412021-222022-23: US$ 853 mn8532022-232023-24: US$ 727 mn7272023-242024-25: US$ 714 mn7142024-252025-26: US$ 930 mn9302025-26
India’s squid, cuttlefish and octopus exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2022-23, lowest in 2020-21 — a 27% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 3.92 per kg3.922021-22: US$ 4.60 per kg2022-23: US$ 4.99 per kg4.992024-25: US$ 4.17 per kg2025-26: US$ 4.73 per kg4.732020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian squid, cuttlefish and octopus · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 553 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 741 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 853 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 727 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 714 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 930 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 938 mn (US$ 772 mn – US$ 1.14 bn)9382026-272027-28: US$ 1 bn (US$ 807 mn – US$ 1.25 bn)1.0k2027-28
India’s squid, cuttlefish and octopus exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 1 bn

Likely range US$ 807 mn to US$ 1.25 bn.

Trend
+6.9% a year
Fit (R²)
0.49 — weak, read with care
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1SpainUS$ 199 mn+13.6%
2ThailandUS$ 160 mn+43.9%
3ItalyUS$ 153 mn+30.5%
4ChinaUS$ 79.7 mn+67.8%
5VietnamUS$ 78.4 mn+73.5%
6MalaysiaUS$ 48.9 mn+51.2%
7GreeceUS$ 42.2 mn+33.1%
8PortugalUS$ 39.9 mn+40%
9United States of AmericaUS$ 32.9 mn-34.9%
10FranceUS$ 18.9 mn+28.7%
11JapanUS$ 12.5 mn+0.6%
12BelgiumUS$ 10.7 mn+35.8%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. VietnamUS$ 45.2 mn → US$ 78.4 mn+73.5%
  2. ChinaUS$ 47.5 mn → US$ 79.7 mn+67.8%
  3. MalaysiaUS$ 32.3 mn → US$ 48.9 mn+51.2%
  4. ThailandUS$ 111 mn → US$ 160 mn+43.9%
  5. PortugalUS$ 28.5 mn → US$ 39.9 mn+40%
  6. BelgiumUS$ 7.8 mn → US$ 10.7 mn+35.8%
  7. GreeceUS$ 31.7 mn → US$ 42.2 mn+33.1%
  8. ItalyUS$ 117 mn → US$ 153 mn+30.5%

Low demand

  1. United States of AmericaUS$ 50.5 mn → US$ 32.9 mn-34.9%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Molluscs, cuttle fish and squid, whether in shell or not, frozen — whole squids frozen0307 43 20US$ 470 mn+38.9%96,013 tonnesUS$ 4.90 per kgwas US$ 3.96
Molluscs, cuttle fish and squid, whether in shell or not, frozen — cuttle fish frozen0307 43 10US$ 328 mn+16.8%67,278 tonnesUS$ 4.88 per kgwas US$ 4.75
Molluscs, octopus, frozen — octopus frozen0307 52 00US$ 66.1 mn+30.7%16,765 tonnesUS$ 3.94 per kgwas US$ 3.67
Molluscs, cuttle fish and squid, whether in shell or not, frozen — squid tubes frozen0307 43 30US$ 21.3 mn+60.1%3,539 tonnesUS$ 6.00 per kgwas US$ 5.85
Others-of-other cuttle fish and squid other thn live, fresh or chilled and frozen0307 49 90 · Molluscs, cuttle fish and squid, whether in shell or not, dried, salted, in brine, or smoked, cooked or not…US$ 11.1 mn+12.9%2,382 tonnesUS$ 4.66 per kgwas US$ 4.13
Calms-calm meat(bivlvs-victoriia spp etc.)0307 39 10 · Molluscs, mussels, whether in shell or not, dried, salted, in brine, or smoked, cooked or not before or…US$ 10 mn+119.2%3,867 tonnesUS$ 2.57 per kgwas US$ 2.02
Squid tubes other thn live, fresh or chilled and frozen0307 49 30 · Molluscs, cuttle fish and squid, whether in shell or not, dried, salted, in brine, or smoked, cooked or not…US$ 4.2 mn+1,881%365 tonnesUS$ 11.38 per kgwas US$ 6.75
Octopus other than live frsh/chlld and frozen0307 59 00 · Molluscs, octopus, dried, salted, in brine, or smoked, cooked or not before or during the smoking processUS$ 3.6 mn+23.1%840 tonnesUS$ 4.32 per kgwas US$ 3.72
Others-of-mussels other than live fresh or chlld0307 39 90 · Molluscs, mussels, whether in shell or not, dried, salted, in brine, or smoked, cooked or not before or…US$ 3.5 mn-9.3%1,449 tonnesUS$ 2.42 per kgwas US$ 2.51
Others-of-cuttle fish and squid frozen0307 43 90 · Molluscs, cuttle fish and squid, whether in shell or not, frozenUS$ 2.5 mn-2.3%653 tonnesUS$ 3.87 per kgwas US$ 4.40
Other including flours, meals and pellets fir for human consumption frozen0307 92 00 · Molluscs in heading 0307, whether in shell or not, frozenUS$ 2.4 mn-3.6%915 tonnesUS$ 2.60 per kgwas US$ 2.59
Squid live, fresh or chilled0307 42 20 · Molluscs, cuttle fish and squid, whether in shell or not, live, fresh or chilledUS$ 1.8 mn+177.3%373 tonnesUS$ 4.90 per kgwas US$ 4.07
Others-of-other molluscs excluding live frsh/chld0307 99 00 · Molluscs in heading 0307, whether in shell or not, dried, salted, in brine, or smoked, cooked or not before…US$ 1.6 mn+1,200%594 tonnesUS$ 2.63 per kgwas US$ 2.43
Snails other than sea snails0307 60 00 · Molluscs, snails, other than sea snails, whether in shell or not, live, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried…US$ 1.3 mn-14.5%889 tonnesUS$ 1.46 per kgwas US$ 1.41

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 14.4 bn
2023
India among exporters
#5
of 118 countries
India’s share of world exports
5.5%
US$ 764 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 13.2 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 2.53 bn 18%
  2. 2SpainUS$ 1.26 bn 9%
  3. 3MoroccoUS$ 1.11 bn 7.9%
  4. 4IndonesiaUS$ 765 mn 5.5%
  5. 5IndiaUS$ 764 mn 5.5%
  6. 6PeruUS$ 683 mn 4.9%
  7. 7Viet NamUS$ 625 mn 4.5%
  8. 8JapanUS$ 551 mn 3.9%
  9. 9CanadaUS$ 481 mn 3.4%
  10. 10FranceUS$ 466 mn 3.3%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1SpainUS$ 2.26 bn 15.7%
  2. 2ChinaUS$ 1.98 bn 13.7%
  3. 3ItalyUS$ 1.57 bn 10.9%
  4. 4USAUS$ 1.19 bn 8.3%
  5. 5JapanUS$ 1.13 bn 7.9%
  6. 6Rep. of KoreaUS$ 1.06 bn 7.3%
  7. 7ThailandUS$ 648 mn 4.5%
  8. 8FranceUS$ 578 mn 4%
  9. 9China, Hong Kong SARUS$ 550 mn 3.8%
  10. 10PortugalUS$ 341 mn 2.4%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

SpainUS$ 2.26 bnIndia 7.2% · gap US$ 2.09 bn
ChinaUS$ 1.77 bnIndia 2.8% · gap US$ 1.72 bn
ItalyUS$ 1.63 bnIndia 7.1% · gap US$ 1.51 bn
United States of AmericaUS$ 1.25 bnIndia 5.1% · gap US$ 1.19 bn
JapanUS$ 1.09 bnIndia 2.1% · gap US$ 1.07 bn
South KoreaUS$ 1.07 bnIndia 0.1% · gap US$ 1.07 bn
FranceUS$ 537 mnIndia 3.5% · gap US$ 518 mn
VietnamUS$ 403 mnIndia 13.9% · gap US$ 347 mn
MalaysiaUS$ 239 mnIndia 10.7% · gap US$ 214 mn
CanadaUS$ 183 mnIndia 2.7% · gap US$ 178 mn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export squid, cuttlefish and octopus

India is a significant supplier of frozen cephalopods, competing with China, Vietnam, Thailand, Morocco and Latin American countries such as Peru and Argentina. Supply depends on wild catch, which varies with season and fishing effort, so exporters cannot simply scale up. Demand is steady from Southern Europe, East Asia and the Gulf. Openings lie in cleaned, value-added packs (rings, tubes, skewers, ready-to-cook) and in fully traceable supply that satisfies EU catch-certificate rules.

  1. 01Register with MPEDA

    Register as an exporter after IEC; merchant exporters must work with an EIC-approved plant.

  2. 02Fix the spec with the buyer

    Agree species, form, size grade, glaze, pack, price basis and the documents (health and catch certificates).

  3. 03Buy traceable raw material

    Buy from landing centres with vessel and landing records so the catch certificate can be issued.

  4. 04Process, freeze and pack

    Clean, grade, freeze, glaze and pack at the plant under its HACCP plan.

  5. 05Test and certify

    Test microbiology and heavy metals; obtain the EIC health certificate and catch certificate.

  6. 06Ship in reefers

    Load pre-cooled reefers, record temperatures and file the shipping bill.

  7. 07Get paid and close the file

    Send the original documents through your bank (or to the buyer if paid in advance). Once the money arrives, get the e-BRC and claim RoDTEP, RoSCTL or drawback where they apply.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting squid, cuttlefish and octopus

Do I need my own plant?
No. A registered merchant exporter can have the product processed and packed in an EIC-approved plant under a written arrangement.
What is a catch certificate?
An EU document proving that wild fish was caught legally, with vessel and landing details. Without it, the EU refuses the consignment.
When is the best buying season?
After the monsoon fishing ban, from about September to March, when landings are strongest.
Which form sells best?
It depends on the market: whole cleaned cuttlefish and squid tubes for Europe, whole round for Asian re-processors, rings for food service.
Is there any export incentive?
Yes. RoDTEP on these lines is 3% of FOB, capped at ₹24 per kg, until 31 Dec 2026 (DGFT Notification 41/2026-27).
Sources (5)
  1. MPEDA — Become an exporter (registration)
  2. EIC — Export of fresh, frozen and processed fish and fishery products
  3. European Commission — IUU fishing: catch certification scheme
  4. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10 Oct 2024 (Notification 32/2024-25)
  5. NABL — laboratory search

Who buys Indian squid, cuttlefish and octopus

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