Fisheries Minister calls for strengthening shrimp farming

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, has underscored the government’s commitment to transforming India into a global seafood powerhouse. He chaired a high-level stakeholder consultation on Fisheries Export Promotion with focus on strengthening shrimp farming and value chain here on Friday.
Highlighting the sector’s nine-per cent growth rate, Singh emphasised the government’s goal of making India an international processing hub for seafood. “We aim to leverage AI and digital technologies to ensure traceable and sustainable fish exports,” he stated. The Minister also called for upgrading fishing infrastructure in the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands, with a particular focus on boosting tuna exports. He acknowledged the efforts of startups in the fisheries sector and urged seafood exporters to modernise their processing plants.
George Kurian, Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Minority Affairs, echoed these sentiments, stressing the government’s commitment to the fisheries sector through enhanced budgetary support. “The government has increased financial allocation to the Department of Fisheries and significantly enhanced funding under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY),” he said. He also pointed to the Rs 1564 crore worth of new projects inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Palghar, Maharashtra, expected to create over five lakh jobs.
Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary of the Department of Fisheries, underlined the government’s various initiatives to formalise the fisheries sector. “We are focusing on cluster-based development in areas such as seaweed, ornamental fisheries, and pearl culture, ensuring the sector’s long-term sustainability,” Dr. Likhi said.
Key industry leaders, including Elias Sait of the Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI) and Ravi Kumar Yellanki of the All India Shrimp Hatcheries Association (AISHA) were present.