India Sets Ambitious Target to Quadruple Marine Exports to 30 Billion Dollars as Government Unveils Seafood Sector Expansion Roadmap

The Minister stated that the Government is fully committed to broadening global market access for the fisheries sector. He highlighted that India has concluded a record nine free trade agreements over the past three and a half years, opening opportunities across 38 countries and enabling Indian fishery products to reach a wider international consumer base.

The workshop, which commenced in Visakhapatnam and will continue over two days, is focused on strengthening India’s fisheries and aquaculture ecosystem while significantly enhancing seafood export capacity through structured policy reforms and stakeholder engagement.

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh noted that India currently accounts for 8.8 per cent of global fish production, with a total output of 19.7 million tonnes. He further stated that Andhra Pradesh stands as the largest fish-producing state in the country, contributing nearly 5 million tonnes, which represents about 40 per cent of India’s fish and shrimp production.

Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Chirag Paswan emphasized growing global demand for value-added seafood products, particularly ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook segments. He underlined the importance of strengthening processing capabilities and expanding value addition within the sector to capture emerging international market opportunities.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu highlighted the state’s pivotal role in India’s blue economy. He stated that Andhra Pradesh accounts for 28 per cent of India’s fish production, 66 per cent of shrimp production, and nearly 38 per cent of the country’s seafood export earnings. He further noted that annual seafood exports from the state exceed 28,000 crore rupees and stressed that innovation in aquaculture could further strengthen India’s position in global seafood trade.

The ongoing workshop brings together stakeholders for consultations, technical sessions, and policy discussions aimed at formulating a comprehensive roadmap to achieve India’s seafood export target of one lakh crore rupees while reinforcing its standing in the global seafood market.