Amrutha Avasarala, Pune
Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to hit a record export of seafood by March 2025, calling it the “Blue Revolution” initiative. The government is keen on empowering and accelerating the exports of seafood. Twenty-six billion rupees (USD 310 million) were allocated in the current fiscal budget for the fisheries department which is a 54% increase as compared to the previous year. The initiative aims to modernize the fishing sector and improve its exports to maximize profits.
The plan is to increase seafood production to 22 million tonnes by March 2025. The statistics were 14 million tonnes five years ago. This would mean an average increase of 9% each year.
India’s most popular seafood export is shrimp which is sent to regions of high demand like Japan, United States and Europe. Andhra Pradesh’s Kakinada holds a significant place in this specific industry in India.
Despite the rampant initiatives, challenges persist in the way of reaching the target. The difficulties include traditional methods and techniques of fishing, concerns regarding environment, threats of overfishing, careful management of the available resources and the maximum utilization of the available framework and infrastructure.
However, with the induction of new technologies and optimum investments, the situation is expected to improve, accelerating the seafood production and exports.
By March 2025, India not only aims at a rapid increase in production and exports but in an organic way, is considering and aligning with the aims of sustainable fisheries and development with broad objectives of economic growth and conservation of environment. This would help India to be a global leader.
The government has specific interests in boosting the seafood production sector. The most effective way to promote development is higher public investment. More public investment, higher development. Twenty six billion rupees have been allotted in the budget to foster this initiative.
India has a rich seafood culture and has always been on the top of the list for seafood, being popular all over the globe. The already existing rich asset to the country is now being pushed to become the most productive version of itself, helping India to emerge as a global leader for sea food production in a sustainable manner.