​​​​​​​Bhubaneswar, July 8:The Centre has urged the Odisha government to strengthen the state's fisheries sector by expanding processing infrastructure, promoting high-value aquaculture and improving export competitiveness to unlock its seafood export potential and support India's Blue Economy goals.

During a review meeting on fisheries and aquaculture schemes in Bhubaneswar, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh stressed the need for stronger collaboration among fishers, fish farmers, exporters, cooperatives, Fisheries Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs) and other stakeholders to enhance value addition and boost exports.

The minister highlighted the importance of capacity building, modern fish processing, and diversification into high-value species such as scampi, seabass, pompano and tilapia to improve productivity, profitability and global market access.

According to the Ministry of Fisheries, Odisha produced 12.70 lakh metric tonnes of fish in 2025-26, supporting over 16 lakh fishers and recording seafood exports worth Rs 5,429 crore.

The ministry said projects worth more than Rs 1,301 crore have been approved for Odisha under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), covering fish production, infrastructure development, technology adoption, fisher welfare and post-harvest facilities.

The review identified infrastructure expansion, technology adoption and institutional convergence as key priorities. Discussions focused on developing hatcheries, fishing harbours, fish landing centres, cold-chain networks and processing facilities while improving access to institutional credit and strengthening market linkages.

The Centre said closer coordination between the Centre, the state government, research institutions and financial agencies would help transform Odisha into a leading fisheries and aquaculture hub, contributing significantly to India's long-term Blue Economy strategy.