New Delhi: India’s fisheries sector is shifting beyond fish production towards value-added products, modern processing and technology-driven marketing, backed by government investments of Rs 39,272 crore since 2015.
The Centre’s initiatives aim to improve infrastructure, reduce post-harvest losses and increase incomes for 74.66 lakh fishers and fish farmers through schemes such as PM Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), PM-MKSSY and the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund.
According to the Department of Fisheries, 46,500 facilities, including cold storages, ice plants, fish markets, transport systems and processing units, have been added with an investment of Rs 3,393.85 crore. Five modern fish markets are also being developed, with an estimated 15,900 employment opportunities.
The sector is increasingly adopting artificial intelligence, blockchain, drones and smart cold-chain systems to improve productivity, quality and traceability.
The government has supported 2,195 Fisheries Farmer Producer Organisations to strengthen collective marketing and market access. Under PM-MKSSY, 5,500 fisheries cooperatives are being strengthened.
Women’s participation is also expanding, with projects worth over Rs 4,155 crore approved under PMMSY, benefiting more than 1.28 lakh women.
The initiatives aim to promote fish processing, packaging, mobile vending and entrepreneurship while strengthening rural livelihoods and seafood exports.
