Tamil Nadu plans seafood exports of $5 bn, sets roadmap for blue economy

by freshnfrozen MagazineJuly 4, 2025July 4, 2025

Tamil Nadu has set a “massive target” of $5 billion in seafood exports annually and has a roadmap for it, said State Industry Minister T R B Rajaa on Thursday.

Tamil Nadu has the second-longest coastline after Gujarat, but ranks seventh among seafood-exporting states after Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and West Bengal. Tamil Nadu is charting an ambitious course to unlock our blue economy. We are setting a massive target for ourselves and the industry: $5 billion in seafood exports,” said Rajaa.

The roadmap will focus on developing seafood infrastructure like processing units, cold chains and export-grade packaging facilities along the state’s coastline. “Our core idea is that we don’t just want to be exporters of raw catch. Our goal is to add value right here within our coastal communities. This is also about creating better incomes, sustainable livelihoods, and stronger futures for our fishing communities,” he said.

The roadmap was announced as the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), which comes under the Union Commerce Ministry, organised the inaugural National Skill Olympiad on seafood value addition at the Seafood Expo Bharat in Chennai on Tuesday.

The Olympiad, the first such event by MPEDA, aims to promote value addition in seafood exports and build a skilled workforce in the sector. India’s seafood exports increased 3.71 per cent from 1.754 million tonnes in 2022–23 to 1.819 million tonnes in 2023-24. Tamil Nadu contributed 89,000.93 tonnes, almost 5 per cent. India’s seafood industry faces global challenges.

When President Donald Trump hiked tariffs, it cast a shadow over exports of aqua products to the US, which accounts for about 35 per cent of India’s total seafood exports. In 2023–24, India exported 297,571 tonnes of frozen shrimp to the US, making it the largest market, followed by 148,483 tonnes to China, 89,697 tonnes to the European Union, and 52,254 tonnes to Southeast Asia. Shrimp accounts for 41 per cent of the volume and 66 per cent of the value of India’s total marine exports. According to MPEDA, India exported 716,004 tonnes of frozen shrimp worth $4.88 billion in 2023-24.

News Courtesy: Business-standard

Tamil Nadu has set a “massive target” of $5 billion in seafood exports annually and has a roadmap for it, said State Industry Minister T R B Rajaa on Thursday.

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