Sri Lanka’s longline fleet catches swordfish in the Indian Ocean, alongside yellowfin tuna. Fresh chilled swordfish exported about US$14 million in 2025, mostly by air to Europe and Asia, where it sells as steaks to restaurants and fish counters.

Forms and grading

Swordfish is supplied whole gutted (head and tail on or off) or as loins. Each fish is graded on size, colour and fat, and buyers usually agree the grade and size bands in advance.

Seafood import rules

Seafood into the EU must come from a processing plant on the EU’s approved list for Sri Lanka, with a health certificate and, for wild catch, a catch certificate. The United States requires the importer to follow FDA seafood HACCP rules, and some species fall under the US Seafood Import Monitoring Program. Tell us your market and we confirm a plant that is approved for it.

Mercury

Swordfish is a large predatory fish, and food safety authorities set limits and advice on its mercury content. Mercury testing can be arranged on request.

What to tell us for a quote

• The product, grade or specification you need, and a reference sample if you have one
• Quantity per order and how often you buy
• Pack size, packaging and labelling
• Destination port and the Incoterm you prefer
• Documents your market requires, such as a certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate or lab test reports

Packing and shipping

Orders are packed to your instruction and shipped by sea in a full or shared container, or by air for samples and small lots, quoted FOB Colombo, CFR or CIF to your port. Products from several Sri Lankan suppliers can share one container through our consolidation service.

How to get a price: tell us the quantity, your specification and your destination port. We quote FOB Colombo, CFR or CIF, with lead time and minimum order, and arrange samples before an order.

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