**Executive Summary**
The Department of Fisheries organized the Seafood Exporters Meet 2026 on April 11, 2026, in New Delhi to strategize on expanding India’s global market reach and addressing industry challenges. The meeting highlighted a growth in seafood exports to approximately ₹68,000 crore and set a future target of ₹1 lakh crore. Key action items include market diversification, enhancing value-added exports, and operationalizing the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) Rules to tap marine potential.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Export Performance and Targets**
* India’s seafood exports increased from ₹62,000 crore last year to approximately ₹68,000 crore, a net growth of ₹6,000 crore.
* Exporters are urged to work towards a long-term export target of ₹1 lakh crore.
* While the US remains the largest destination (36.42% of value), there is a strategic shift toward non-US markets and high-value species like tuna.
**Strategic Market Diversification**
* Efforts are underway to reduce over-dependence on a few markets by engaging with Ambassadors from nearly forty countries.
* The Department of Fisheries will facilitate direct linkages between Indian exporters and Indian Missions abroad.
* A focus has been placed on "ready-to-eat" and "ready-to-cook" segments to enhance value addition.
**Regulatory and Operational Frameworks**
* EEZ Rules are being operationalized through "Access Passes," with priority given to cooperative societies to ensure inclusive growth.
* Strict adherence to antibiotic bans, traceability systems, and international certifications is mandatory to sustain export growth.
* Stakeholders identified the need to streamline procedures for issuing Catch Certificates and facilitating permits for seaweed cultivation (Kappaphycus).
**Infrastructure and Technical Interventions**
* Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), investments are being made in cold-chain networks, modern fishing harbors, and fish landing centers.
* Calls were made for improved onboard handling, better packaging, and the expansion of sea-cage culture and deep-sea fishing vessels.
* There is a designated need to upscale the production of high-quality fish feed meal and explore inland fisheries potential on the Western Coast.
**Impact Analysis**
**Seafood Exporters**
**Impact:** They face increased pressure to comply with strict regulatory standards but gain better access to global markets through government-led diplomatic engagements.
**Action Required:** Diversify product baskets toward value-added segments, ensure strict adherence to antibiotic bans, and adopt traceability systems.
**Department of Fisheries & MPEDA**
**Impact:** These bodies are tasked with bridging the gap between industry needs and international trade requirements.
**Action Required:** Formulate focused diversification strategies, strengthen capacity-building initiatives, and streamline administrative procedures for permits and certificates.
**Cooperative Societies**
**Impact:** They are positioned as priority stakeholders in the new EEZ operational framework.
**Action Required:** Utilize Access Passes to participate in marine export expansion from the EEZ and high seas.
**Fish-meal Manufacturers**
**Impact:** Recognized as a critical component of the value chain requiring scientific upscaling.
**Action Required:** Focus on the scientific development and production of high-quality fish feed meal to support the broader aquaculture ecosystem.
Key Entities Referenced
Department of Fisheries: The primary government department under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying responsible for organizing the Seafood Exporters Meet and implementing export expansion strategies.
Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY): The flagship scheme mentioned as the primary vehicle for supporting fisheries value chain interventions, infrastructure, and export-oriented aquaculture diversification.
Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA): The nodal agency tasked with strengthening capacity-building, enhancing export readiness, and formulating market diversification strategies for the seafood sector.
EEZ Rules: The regulatory framework being operationalized through Access Passes to facilitate marine export expansion from India’s Exclusive Economic Zone and the high seas.
Export Inspection Council (EIC): The regulatory body responsible for ensuring product quality, strict compliance with antibiotic bans, and traceability certifications for Indian seafood exports.
Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying
Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh Chairs
Seafood Exporters Meet 2026 in New Delhi;
Chart Strategy to Expand Global Market Reach
“India to Scale Up Value-Added Seafood Exports and Tap
Marine Potential from EEZ and High Seas”
“India’s seafood exports have crossed a new milestone,
growing from ₹62,000 crore last year to approximately
₹68,000 crore this year, reflecting a net increase of about
₹6,000 crore”
Posted On: 11 APR 2026 7:23AM by PIB Delhi
The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying organized a
Seafood Exporters Meet 2026 at Ambedkar Bhawan, New Delhi. The meet was graced by Union
Minister, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAH&D) and Ministry of Panchayati
Raj (MoPR), Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh along with Minister of State, MoFAH&D and MoPR Prof. S.P.
Singh Baghel and Minister of State, Shri George Kurian, MoFAH&D and Ministry of Minority Affairs.
The meet was organised to provide a structured platform for interaction between the Government and
industry stakeholders and to obtain feedback from exporters on current challenges related to market
access, pricing pressures and compliance requirements, and to deliberate on measures required for
enhancing value addition, market diversification and marine export expansion from islands, EEZ and high
seas.Union Minister Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh appreciated and congratulated exporters for their efforts in
enhancing seafood exports. Despite global uncertainties, he highlighted that India’s seafood exports have
recorded robust growth, driven largely by strong performance in non-US markets. Emphasising the need
for sustained market and product diversification, Union Minister stressed the importance of strict
regulatory compliance, including adherence to antibiotic bans and strengthened traceability systems.
Referring to the EEZ Rules, he stated that the framework is being operationalised through Access Passes,
with priority being accorded to cooperative societies to promote inclusive growth. He underscored the
export potential of high-value species such as tuna from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the EEZ and the
high seas, and called for improved onboard handling, robust cold-chain infrastructure, better packaging,
value addition and the exploration of alternative markets to reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen the
export ecosystem. Exporters were also urged to work towards achieving the ₹1 lakh crore export target
and adopt an open-market approach, assuring support from institutions such as EIC, NCDC, NABARD
and the Ministry of Food Processing Industries. He also referred to the Investors meet held in the
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, which has led to investments aimed at strengthening the fisheries sector,
particularly in areas such as sea-cage culture, pearl farming and deep-sea fishing vessels.
Hon’ble Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying & Minority Affairs, Shri
George Kurian, stated that in line with the post-Budget webinar 2026, concerted efforts are being made
to position fisheries as a high-value, high-demand sector. Noting the encouraging growth in seafood
exports, he appreciated exporters for their sustained efforts and emphasised that strict regulatory
compliance, including traceability and certifications, along with strengthened logistics and value-chain
development, is essential to sustain export growth.
Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, Union Secretary, Department of Fisheries, stated that focused market
diversification strategy has been formulated in coordination with MPEDA, EIC, and the Department of
Commerce. He highlighted that diplomatic engagement with Ambassadors from nearly forty countries has
yielded encouraging responses, underscoring the need to complement market diversification with targeted
products, particularly in ready-to-eat, ready-to-cook and value-added seafood segments. The Department
would facilitate direct linkages between exporters and Indian Missions abroad to promote seafood exports.
MPEDA was urged to strengthen capacity-building initiatives to support exporters and enhance
compliance, competitiveness, and export readiness.
Stakeholders appreciated the proactive support from the government of India at the meeting and
highlighted key challenges and opportunities in boosting seafood exports, including the need to streamline
procedures for issuance of Catch Certificates, facilitation of permits for seaweed cultivation
(Kappaphycus) in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and targeted support for fish-meal manufacturers to
scientifically develop and upscale production of high-quality fish feed meal. They also noted there is a
need to explore and strengthen export potential of inland fisheries and mariculture in western Coast.Stakeholders also drew attention to several overarching challenges affecting seafood exports, including
limited market access due to tariff and non-tariff barriers, high compliance costs, gaps in value-added
processing capacity, cold-chain and logistics constraints, and the need for stronger traceability and quality
assurance systems.
The meeting was attended by officials from Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA),
National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), Export Inspection Council (EIC), National Bank for
Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), National Cooperative Development Corporation
(NCDC), National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), Ministry of Food Processing Industries
(MoFPI), and other line Ministries. Representatives from export associations including the Seafood
Exporters Association of India, Indian Marine Ingredients Association and Seaweed Association of India,
along with industry representatives like Sea6 Energy Pvt. Ltd., Sashimi Foods Pvt. Ltd., Aquagri
Processing Pvt. Ltd., Anemco Pvt. Ltd., Oceanic Horizon, cooperatives and exporters, also participated.
The event saw participation of senior officials from the Department of Fisheries, Government of India, as
well as Fisheries Departments of Odisha, Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Goa,
Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
Background
India’s seafood exports have recorded strong and sustained growth, expanding at an average annual rate of
7% over the past 11 years. Marine product exports have more than doubled during the period, rising from
₹30,213 crore in 2013-14 to ₹62,408 crore in 2024-25, driven largely by shrimp exports valued at ₹43,334
crore.
India’s seafood exports span a wide and diversified basket, with over 350 varieties of products shipped to
nearly 130 global markets. The United States remains the largest destination, accounting for 36.42% of
total export value in 2024-25, followed by China, the European Union, Southeast Asia, Japan and the
Middle East, while other markets together account for about 9%. To reduce over-dependence on a few
commodities and deepen India’s presence in global seafood markets, the Government is actively pursuing
diversification of the export basket. Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), the
Department of Fisheries supports a wide range of interventions across the value chain, including quality
fish seed production, expansion and diversification of brackish-water aquaculture, promotion of
export-oriented species, technology adoption, disease management, traceability systems, and capacity
building. Investments are also being made to strengthen post-harvest infrastructure, seamless cold-chain
networks, modern fishing harbours and fish landing centres.
*****
JP.
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