Overview
The Ministry of Commerce & Industry, together with the Department of Fisheries and the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, organised a two‑day National Workshop on Seafood Exports in Visakhapatnam on 5–6 June 2026. Senior Union Ministers, state leaders and industry representatives discussed how to raise India’s seafood export earnings to USD 30 billion within five years.
Key Developments
- Union Minister Piyush Goyal emphasized a “whole‑of‑government” approach and highlighted a 70 % rise in marine product exports over the last decade.
- Calls for greater value addition, branding and diversification of export markets, especially under recent FTAs covering 38 countries.
- Discussion of a possible PLI framework for the seafood sector to spur innovation and infrastructure.
- Focus on strengthening the cold chain, traceability and sustainable certification.
- Allocation of benefits under PMKSSY, Kisan Credit Card and other schemes.
- Exploration of untapped resources in India’s EEZ, especially in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
Important Facts
• India now accounts for about 4 % of global seafood trade.
• Export value reached approximately ₹73,890 crore (USD 8.46 billion), with frozen shrimp as the top item.
• Fish production grew from 95.8 lakh tonnes (2012‑13) to ≈198 lakh tonnes (2024‑25).
• The workshop gathered officials from MPEDA, EIC, NFDB, NABARD, NCDC, NCEL, SFAC, along with exporters, processors, startups and researchers.
UPSC Relevance
The event touches upon several GS‑3 themes: export promotion, fisheries policy, infrastructure development, and sustainable resource management. Understanding schemes like PMMSY and PMKSSY is essential for questions on agricultural and fisheries reforms. The discussion on PLI illustrates how the government uses incentive‑based policies to create competitive industries, a recurring UPSC topic. Moreover, the focus on cold chain and sustainability aligns with questions on logistics, quality standards and environmental stewardship.
Way Forward
Stakeholders agreed on a roadmap that includes:
- Expanding value‑added product lines like ready‑to‑eat and ready‑to‑cook seafood.
- Implementing a dedicated PLI scheme for processing units, cold‑storage and logistics providers.
- Strengthening traceability systems and obtaining international certifications (e.g., MSC, ASC) to meet buyer requirements.
- Leveraging FTAs to open new markets and reduce tariff barriers.
- Investing in research for disease‑free seed, sustainable aquaculture practices and deep‑sea resource exploitation within the EEZ.
- Ensuring timely disbursement of benefits under PMKSSY and related credit schemes.
These steps aim to transform India from a volume‑focused exporter to a high‑value, sustainable seafood supplier, supporting the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.