44 MARCH 2026 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG integrate seafood into public programs like school meals and nutrition schemes. This strategy mirrors India’s highly successful ‘Operation Flood’ from the 1970s. That program used guaranteed government purchasing to make milk a daily staple, ultimately transforming the entire dairy sector. This creates stable demand that insulates the industry from export shock 3. Brand for Premium Value Stop selling anonymous frozen blocks. Instead, build branded products around India’s unique aquatic heritage. Secure Geographical Indication (GI) tags for products like Backwater Pearlspot or Sundarbans Tiger Prawn. Implement traceability technology so international consumers can scan a QR code and see the origin of their seafood. Authenticity commands premium prices. 4. Prioritize Execution and Outcomes The core problem is implementation, not funding. Empower farmers’ cooperatives, bring in private sector efficiency, and measure success by the value created for farmers and the environment, not just by funds spent. The lesson is clear: India possesses the natural resources and production volume needed to succeed, but it lacks a cohesive strategy. Consider Norway’s approach: with colder waters limiting its options, it had no choice but to focus exclusively on salmon. Through massive investment in research, traceability, and branding, Norway turned salmon into a global luxury product, which now accounts for over 70% of its seafood exports, earning more than $11 billion a year (Norwegian Seafood Council, 2024). India’s situation is the opposite. Tropical waters, rich estuaries, and incredible species diversity are India’s greatest strengths. Therefore, India’s approach cannot be imitation; it must be customized to its strengths. However, this is where India’s persistent challenge lies: the critical failure is in implementation, not potential. This gap is illustrated by the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). Launched in 2020 with a substantial fund of ₹20,000 crore ($2.5 billion), less than 40% of its allocated budget for crucial infrastructure and branding had been utilized by mid-2025 (Press Information Bureau, 2025). This underscores a systemic pattern: ambitious schemes exist on paper, but their execution is fragmented, slow, and often uninspired. In conclusion, India’s aquaculture sector will remain a vulnerable livelihood, instead of a modern industry, until it prioritizes implementation as much as production. The US tariff is a wake-up call. The path forward is clear: shift from chasing volume to building value through native species, strategic branding, and genuine on-the-ground execution. Notes Amina S, Naveen Nivas S,* Dinesh Kaippilly and Geeji MT, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Panangad, Kochi, Kerala, India - 682506 * Corresponding author: naveennivas599@gmail.com References Financial Express. (2025) High seas & higher tariffs: Seafood units, aqua farms struggle to stay afloat. Financial Express. https://www.financialexpress. com/policy/economy-high-seashigher-tariffs-seafood-unitsacqua-farms-struggle-to-stayafloat-3951395/?utm IMARC Group. Indian shrimp market size, share, trends report, 2033. Retrieved August 30, 2025, from https://www. imarcgroup.com/indian-shrimpmarket?utm Indian Express. (2025, August 12). ‘No one will purchase’: Andhra shrimp farmers fear they could get priced out of US market. The Indian Express. Retrieved from https://indianexpress.com/article/ india/no-one-will-purchase-andhra-shrimp-farmers-fear-theycould-get-priced-out-of-us-market-10181849/?utm Kasem, A., Atallah, S., Mandour, M., and El Nabtiti, S. A. (2021, December). Productive and economic performances of two shrimp species (Litopenaeus vannamei and Fenneropenaeus indicus) under Egyptian conditions. Suez Canal Veterinary Medicine Journal, 26(2), 505–518. Lovatelli, Alessandro, Shelley, Colin, Tobias-Quinitio, Emilia, Khor, Waiho and Chan, Diana. (2025). In: Lovatelli, A., Shelley, C., Tobias-Quinitio, E., Khor, W. and Chan, D., eds. 2025. Status, technological innovations, and industry development needs of mud crab (Scylla spp.) aquaculture – FAO Expert Workshop, 27–30 November 2023, Singapore. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Proceedings, No. 73. Rome, FAO. 10.4060/cd3976e. MPEDA. (2024). Press release: Export performance 2023–24. Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. Retrieved August 30, 2025, from https://mpeda.gov.in/?page_ id=438 New India Express. (2025). https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/ andhra-pradesh/2025/Aug/29/us-tariffs-unlikely-to-hit-in-crisisandhra-pradesh-aquaculture-sector?utm Nisar, U., Zhang, H., Navghan, M., Zhu, Y., and Mu, Y. (2021). Comparative analysis of profitability and resource use efficiency between Penaeus monodon and Litopenaeus vannamei in India. PLoS One, 16(5), e0250727. Norwegian Seafood Council. (2024). Record exports of Norwegian seafood in 2023. https://en.seafood.no/news-and-media/newsFIGURE 4. Naveen Nivas with a mud crab (Scylla serrata) from ongoing RAS-based development efforts at KUFOS. (CONTINUED ON PAGE 78)
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