Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj, Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh will chair the Stakeholder Consultation on Fisheries Export Promotion with focus on strengthening shrimp farming and value chain on Friday at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.

The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is organising the Stakeholder Consultation.

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Ministers of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj Prof S P Singh Baghel and George Kurian are also expected to attend the stakeholder consultation along with senior officers of the Ministries and Departments concerned.

The fisheries sector, a cornerstone of the Indian economy, plays a crucial role in national income, exports, and food security. Known as the ‘Sunrise Sector,’ it supports around 30 million people, especially from marginalised communities.

As the world’s second largest fish producer, India achieved a record production of 17.5 million tonnes (in 2022-23), contributing 8 per cent to the global fish production.

The sector’s significance is highlighted by its 1.09 per cent contribution to the country’s Gross Value Added (GVA) and over 6.724 per cent to agricultural GVA. With immense growth potential, the fisheries sector requires focused policy and financial support for sustainable, responsible, and inclusive development.

The Union government has spearheaded the transformation of the fisheries sector through various schemes and initiatives such as PMMSY, FIDF, Blue Revolution and PMMKSSY, with the highest ever investment of Rs 38,572 crore since 2015.

As a result of these policies and initiatives, India proudly stands second in global fish production. India’s seafood exports touched an all-time high in volume during the financial year 2023-24 despite various challenges in significant export markets.

India shipped 1.78 million tonnes of seafood worth Rs 60,523.89 crore during 2023-24. In the last one decade, there has been a boom in shrimp cultivation and export.

The shrimp exports have more than doubled with an increase of about 107 per cent from Rs 19,368 crore (in 2013-14) to Rs 40,013.54 crore (in 2023-24). This has resulted in tremendous progress in seafood exports, which has increased with an average annual growth rate of 14 per cent in the last 10 years.

The Stakeholder Consultation on Fisheries Export Promotion is being convened to foster dialogue and collaboration among various stakeholders, including fish farmers, fishers, industry leaders, seafood exporters, policymakers, and researchers.

By focusing on innovation, sustainability, and value addition, the meeting aims to enhance India’s position in the global seafood market and drive inclusive growth for fish farmers and coastal communities.

Participants will engage in discussions on best practices, sustainable aquaculture technologies, and infrastructure development to enhance productivity, ensure food safety, and improve traceability in the seafood export and its value chain.

The consultation will also focus on formulating actionable strategies to expand India’s footprint in global seafood markets, thereby maximising export potential of diverse fish/seaweed/seafood products and supporting the livelihoods of millions of fishers, coastal communities and fish farmers of the country.