Minister: Govt to promote export of freshwater species

"The Fisheries Department has undertaken various steps and initiative focused on traceability, processing, value addition and certification to enhance seafood exports, in coordination with the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Export Inspection Council (EIC), Seafood exporters and other stakeholders," he said.

Singh emphasised the need to set up at least one processing plant in each district to strengthen post harvest infrastructure. He also highlighted the need for expanded institutional presence of MPEDA and EIC in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep, recognizing the huge export potential of high vale species like Tuna.

Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal also appreciated the efforts to achieve an all-time high seafood exports of Rs 72,325.82 crore (USD 8.28 billion) in FY 2025–26. He underscored the need for continued collaboration among stakeholders to further strengthen the export segment, focusing on species diversification, branding and value addition.

He stressed upon the need to accelerate development of deep sea fishing infrastructure and to expand India’s presence in Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs). He also called for increasing the number of registered exporters, augmenting processing capacity, and strengthening waste management practices across the sector.

Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary, Department of Fisheries, underlined the critical role of traceability in enhancing seafood exports and ensuring compliance with international market standards. He also highlighted that the government had notified 34 fisheries production and processing clusters aiming to strengthen value chains and supporting export ecosystems.

He further called upon institutions such as Fishery Survey of India (FSI), MPEDA and National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDB) to intensify efforts towards harnessing the untapped potential of tuna resources in the high seas, with a view to expanding India’s footprint in marine fisheries exports.

"This joint meeting has carved a roadmap for enhancing seafood export in close coordination and convergence with all stakeholders towards achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047," he added.

India’s seafood exports reached an all-time high of USD 8.28 billion and 19.32 lakh metric tonnes in FY 2025-26 from 7.45 billion USD, and 16.98 lakh metric tonnes in FY 2024-25. Frozen shrimp remained the primary growth driver, contributing Rs 47,973.13 crore, accounting for over two-thirds of total export earnings.