New Delhi, Dec 17 (NationPress) India's fish production has seen a remarkable rise, escalating from 141.60 lakh tonnes in 2019–20 to approximately 197.75 lakh tonnes by 2024–25, marking a growth of 38% since the initiation of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) in 2020, as reported to Parliament on Wednesday.

In response to a Lok Sabha inquiry, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying Minister Rajeev Ranjan Singh conveyed that this significant growth is primarily attributed to the advancement of inland aquaculture, development of marine fisheries, enhancement of the value-chain infrastructure, and various policy initiatives under the PMMSY scheme.

Currently, India's exports of fish and fishery products stand at Rs 62,408.45 crore, showcasing robust sector performance. Since the PMMSY's implementation in 2020-21, export revenues have surged by approximately 33.7%, rising from Rs 46,662.85 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 62,408.45 crore by 2024-25.

By early 2025, India's average aquaculture productivity has reached around 4.7 tonnes per hectare, up from nearly 3 tonnes per hectare before the PMMSY launch. The top five states contributing to inland fish production are Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha, with Bihar ranking fourth, as per the minister's statement.

The Gross Value Added (GVA) of the fisheries sector for 2023-24 is reported at Rs 3,68,124 crore, a significant increase from Rs 2,12,087 crore in 2018-19. The share of the fisheries sector in the GVA of the agriculture sector has grown from 7% in 2018-19 to 7.55% in 2023-24.

The Central Government is concentrating on fisheries technology, aquaculture, and value addition by supporting numerous interventions along the fisheries value chain. These include quality fish production, expansion, diversification, and intensification of aquaculture, promotion of export-oriented species, technology infusion, robust disease management and traceability, as well as training and capacity building. They are also focused on creating modern post-harvest infrastructure, complete with seamless cold chain and processing facilities, the minister elaborated.

Technology integration has been bolstered with the establishment of 52,058 reservoir cages, 22,057 RAS & Biofloc units, and 1,525 sea cages sanctioned under the PMMSY, representing an investment of Rs 3040.87 crore.

The Department of Fisheries has partnered with various research institutions under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and private incubators to enhance the fisheries startup ecosystem.

Furthermore, the department has facilitated the establishment of five fisheries business incubation centers, including the LINAC-NCDC Fisheries Business Incubation Centre (LlFIC), Guwahati Biotech Park in Assam, National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) in Hyderabad, ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE) in Mumbai, and ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) in Kochi. These centers aim to provide mentorship and training for developing business models for fisheries startups, cooperatives, FPOs, and SHGs, as stated by the minister.