Shrimp Stocks Surge on Friday After EU Nod for Indian Aquaculture Exports 

Mumbai, May 15: India’s seafood export sector received a significant boost on Friday after the European Union included the country in its revised draft list of nations authorised to export aquaculture products to the EU market from September 2026 — a development the Ministry of Commerce and Industry called a major positive for the sector. 

The news triggered a sharp rally in shrimp and aquaculture stocks on the bourses in Friday morning trade, with investors rushing to price in the implications of what could be a sustained uptick in Indian seafood export volumes to one of the world’s most regulated and premium consumer markets.

The EU’s revised list follows a series of compliance measures undertaken by India in line with the European Commission Delegated Regulation, which mandates that exporting countries ensure their animals and animal products are entirely free from antimicrobial medicinal products used for growth promotion, as well as antimicrobials reserved exclusively for human treatment. 

India’s inclusion signals that its regulatory architecture spanning residue monitoring, inspection protocols and aquaculture farm oversight has met the EU’s stringent standards. The Ministry specifically acknowledged the role of the Marine Products Export Development Authority and the Export Inspection Council in strengthening regulatory compliance and promoting responsible aquaculture practices over the years. The EU is one of the largest and most valuable destinations for Indian seafood, making this development strategically significant for exporters.

The sentiment rippled swiftly through aquaculture counters on Friday morning. Apex Frozen Foods opened at ₹469.90 against its previous close of ₹466.80, surged to a day’s high of ₹480.55, and was last trading at ₹477.00, up ₹10.20 or 2.19 per cent, with the stock holding firm through the session’s first two hours after an initial bout of volatility that briefly dipped it to a low of ₹467.35. 

Avanti Feeds told a similarly encouraging story the stock opened at ₹1,336.40, dipped sharply to a low of ₹1,311.20 in the first half-hour as early sellers booked profits, before staging a strong recovery from around 10 am to hit a high of ₹1,353.90, and was last seen at ₹1,346.30, up ₹16.30 or 1.23 per cent. 

Coastal Corporation was the sharpest mover of the trio, opening at ₹60.99 against its previous close of ₹60.36, climbing steadily through the morning to a high of ₹66.70 before settling around ₹64.11, up ₹3.75 or 6.21 per cent, with the intraday chart reflecting near-uninterrupted buying after 9:30 am. 

The EU’s decision comes at a time when Indian seafood exporters have been navigating a complex global trade environment, with elevated freight costs and geopolitical disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz adding pressure to export margins. The reinstatement on the EU’s approved list removes a significant regulatory overhang that had loomed over the sector since the earlier draft regulation’s omission of India became known. 

For companies like Apex Frozen Foods, Avanti Feeds, and Coastal Corporation all heavily exposed to shrimp processing and export — the development opens the door to sustained order flows from European buyers who had been cautious about long-term sourcing commitments pending regulatory clarity. Market participants expect the positive sentiment to sustain into subsequent sessions if the final regulation confirms India’s inclusion without additional conditions.

Sources: 

• https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2260974&reg=3&lang=1
• https://www.newsonair.gov.in/eu-includes-india-in-revised-draft-list-for-continued-export-of-aquaculture-products-to-eu-market/
• nseindia.com