New Delhi: The Centre has assured the state governments of unlocking the full potential of the fisheries sector through a whole-of-government approach to achieve the Rs 1 lakh crore target for seafood exports while creating greater opportunities for fishers, farmers, processors, startups, and MSMEs, according to an official statement issued on Sunday. 

The National Workshop on Seafood Exports, which concluded at Visakhapatnam this weekend, highlighted a shared commitment among Central Ministries, state governments, industry stakeholders, exporters, research institutions and entrepreneurs to work collaboratively towards strengthening India's seafood export ecosystem, it said.

The deliberations highlighted the need for a coordinated approach encompassing sustainable production, value addition, traceability, certification, infrastructure development, innovation, and market diversification. The recommendations emerging from the workshop are expected to contribute to policy formulation and targeted interventions aimed at enhancing India's global competitiveness in seafood exports.

The workshop brought together senior officials from the Central government, along with representatives from states and Union Territories. Key national institutions, including the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), the Export Inspection Council (EIC), the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), NABARD, NCDC, NCEL, SFAC, and Invest India, participated. The workshop also witnessed the presence of seafood exporters, industry associations, processors, startups, and other value‑chain stakeholders, ensuring comprehensive representation of the seafood export ecosystem.

The deliberations emphasised positioning India as a globally competitive seafood exporting nation. Key areas included the transition from volume-based exports to value-added, high-quality products, along with the promotion of innovation, advanced technologies, and robust traceability systems to strengthen India’s global seafood brand.

Export infra to be expanded

Discussions also highlighted the need to expand export infrastructure and logistics, including cold chain, air cargo, and quarantine facilities, to ensure efficient and compliant trade.

The importance of enhancing exports from inland fisheries, which contribute significantly to production, and leveraging untapped potential in emerging segments such as ready‑to‑eat products and high‑value species was highlighted. Ministers emphasised sustainability, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance, along with strengthening processing capacity and value chains. A strong thrust was also laid on adopting a whole‑of‑government approach, improving multimodal logistics, and promoting investment, innovation, and private sector participation to build a resilient and future‑ready seafood export ecosystem.

Joint Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Sagar Mehra emphasised scaling up production, strengthening traceability and certification frameworks, and harnessing untapped potential in deep-sea and EEZ resources through ongoing reforms and flagship schemes.

Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ajay Bhadoo, outlined India’s export performance, evolving global market dynamics, and the role of FTAs, market diversification and enhanced competitiveness in expanding seafood exports.

Joint Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, D. Praveen, underscored the need to scale up processing and value addition, highlighting gaps vis-à-vis global benchmarks, and outlined key schemes supporting cold chain development, processing infrastructure, and value chain integration to improve export value realisation.