Bhopal to host Fisheries Investors & Exporters Conclave on Friday
Bhopal, Oct 22 (TNT): In a bid to shift the country’s inland fisheries sector from a production-centric model to a market-driven value chain, the Department of Fisheries, Government of Madhya Pradesh, in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, will host the ‘Fisheries Investors & Exporters Conclave 2026’ here on Friday.
The conclave will be attended by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Union Minister of State Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, and State Minister for Fisherman Welfare and Fisheries Development Narayan Singh Pawar.
The high-level conclave, scheduled to be held at the Kushabhau Thakre International Convention Centre, aims to build direct linkages between inland fisheries production and institutional investment, cold-chain logistics, processing capabilities, and export channels to ensure higher farm-gate returns for fishers and fish farmers.
A centerpiece of the event will be the unveiling of the Madhya Pradesh Fisheries Investment and Export Guidelines, 2026, following the Centre’s notification of the state as a specialized ‘Reservoir Fisheries Cluster’.
The policy seeks to attract private capital across critical stages of the sector, including modern hatcheries, certified seed and feed manufacturing, cage culture, aquatic biosecurity, processing facilities, and dedicated export corridors.
During the proceedings, Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying and Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh (alias Lalan Singh) will hand over the administrative approval for the Integrated Development of Reservoirs and Amrit Sarovars across Madhya Pradesh, aimed at optimizing the state’s estimated 4.50 lakh hectares of water spread area.
The day-long programme will also feature the release of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on unlocking the export potential of landlocked inland states, alongside the virtual inauguration of Integrated Cage Culture Units.
The summit comes against the backdrop of an expanding domestic fisheries footprint.
India registered a total fish production of 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024–25, with inland fisheries contributing 151.60 lakh tonnes—accounting for nearly three-fourths of the national harvest.
Simultaneously, the country’s seafood shipments touched ₹73,890 crore in 2025–26, highlighting significant room for inland states to claim a larger share of outbound trade.
Over 1,000 fish farmers from across Madhya Pradesh, along with Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs), fisheries cooperatives, processing firms, start-ups, and commercial financial institutions, are slated to participate in interactive buyer-seller and investment tracks.
TNT KM
