PMMSY and FIDF back fishing harbours, cold chains and fish markets as government strengthens fisheries infrastructure and livelihoods

Key Highlights

• India’s fish production increased from 147.25 lakh tonnes in 2020–21 to 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024–25.
• PMMSY has an estimated investment of ₹20,750 crore for holistic fisheries development and fisher welfare.
• 28 fishing harbour modernisation projects, 25 fish landing centres and 23 dredging projects approved under PMMSY in the last five years.
• FIDF has supported 94 additional fishing harbours and fish landing centres at a total cost of ₹4,916.46 crore.
• ₹2,797 crore approved for cold-chain and fisheries marketing infrastructure, including ice plants, fish transportation and retail markets.
• PMMSY projects covered more than 47.32 lakh beneficiaries between FY2020-21 and FY2025-26.

Fish Production Records Steady Growth

India’s fisheries sector continues to expand, with annual fish production rising by more than 50 lakh tonnes over five years, according to data presented by Union Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh in the Lok Sabha.

Fish production increased from 147.25 lakh tonnes in 2020–21 to 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024–25, reflecting sustained growth in both fisheries and aquaculture.

Financial Year	Fish Production
2020–21	147.25 lakh tonnes
2021–22	162.48 lakh tonnes
2022–23	175.45 lakh tonnes
2023–24	183.93 lakh tonnes
2024–25	197.75 lakh tonnes

The government said multiple central schemes are being implemented to support fisher livelihoods, fisheries infrastructure, aquaculture and the wider seafood value chain.

PMMSY Drives Fisheries Development

The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) has been implemented since FY2020-21 with an estimated investment of ₹20,750 crore.

The scheme focuses on the holistic development of fisheries while supporting fishers and fish farmers through infrastructure, productivity enhancement and livelihood-oriented interventions.

Between FY2020-21 and FY2025-26, PMMSY projects under its Centrally Sponsored Scheme component had a total approved project cost of ₹19,271.67 crore, with a central share of ₹7,765.01 crore and ₹5,093.16 crore released.

The projects covered 47.32 lakh beneficiaries.

Fishing Harbours and Landing Centres Get Infrastructure Push

Fishing infrastructure is emerging as a major area of government investment.

Under PMMSY, the Department of Fisheries has approved 28 fishing harbour development or modernisation projects, 25 fish landing centre projects and 23 dredging projects over the last five years, with a combined approved cost of ₹3,741.89 crore.

The Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) has supported another 94 fishing harbour and fish landing centre projects with a total cost of ₹4,916.46 crore.

Launched in 2018-19 with a fund size of ₹7,522.48 crore, FIDF provides concessional finance for eligible fisheries infrastructure projects. The government provides interest subvention of up to 3% per annum, with financing available for a repayment period of up to 12 years, including a two-year moratorium.

₹2,797 Crore Approved for Cold Chain and Fish Marketing

The government is also strengthening the post-harvest fisheries supply chain.

Under PMMSY and FIDF, proposals worth ₹2,797 crore have been approved for cold-chain and marketing infrastructure across the country, including coastal regions.

The approved infrastructure includes:

• 775 cold storages and ice plants
• 13,718 motorcycles with ice boxes
• 8,527 bicycles with ice boxes
• 4,257 auto-rickshaws
• 1,577 insulated trucks
• 410 refrigerated trucks
• 1,394 live fish vending units
• 6,018 fish kiosks
• 117 retail fish markets
• 24 wholesale fish markets

The expansion of this infrastructure could help reduce post-harvest losses while improving the movement of fresh fish from landing centres to markets and consumers.

PMMKSSY Targets a More Formal Fisheries Value Chain

The government is also implementing the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah Yojana (PMMKSSY), a ₹6,000-crore sub-scheme under PMMSY.

The programme focuses on formalising the fisheries sector, encouraging aquaculture insurance, improving efficiency among micro and small fisheries enterprises and promoting safety and quality systems for fish production.

The government has also extended Kisan Credit Card (KCC) facilities to fishers and fish farmers since FY2018-19, helping them meet working-capital requirements.

State-Level Fisheries Investment

The PMMSY data shows significant investment across coastal and inland States.

Among the major beneficiaries, Tamil Nadu recorded approved projects worth ₹1,236.21 crore and 11.98 lakh beneficiaries, while Kerala had projects worth ₹1,329.63 crore covering more than 10.12 lakh beneficiaries.

Andhra Pradesh recorded ₹2,328.89 crore in approved projects and more than 5.31 lakh beneficiaries. Karnataka had ₹1,053.60 crore in approved projects and over 1.52 lakh beneficiaries, while Odisha recorded ₹1,301.19 crore and more than 91,000 beneficiaries.

Maharashtra had the highest project value among the listed States at ₹1,601.44 crore, with more than 73,000 beneficiaries.

Impact on Hospitality, Food and Tourism

The expansion of fisheries infrastructure has direct implications for India’s hospitality, foodservice, seafood and coastal tourism sectors.

For hotels and restaurants: Better fishing harbours, landing centres and cold chains can improve the availability and quality of fresh seafood for hotels, restaurants and resorts, particularly in coastal destinations.

For seafood supply chains: Refrigerated trucks, insulated vehicles, ice plants and cold storage can strengthen the movement of fish from coastal landing centres to urban consumption markets while supporting quality and shelf life.

For coastal tourism: Improved fishing infrastructure and stronger fisher livelihoods can support coastal destinations where seafood, fishing communities and local culinary traditions are part of the visitor experience.

For culinary tourism: Greater availability of fresh and better-preserved seafood can help destinations promote regional seafood cuisines, local fish markets and community-led culinary experiences.

For hospitality businesses: A more organised fisheries value chain could offer hotels and restaurants greater opportunities to source locally, build regional seafood menus and develop destination-specific food experiences.

Bottom Line

India’s fisheries sector is moving beyond production growth towards a more integrated harbour-to-market value chain. The combination of rising fish production, fishing harbour investments, cold-chain expansion, fish markets and financial support for fishers could strengthen India’s seafood ecosystem while creating new opportunities for hospitality, foodservice and coastal tourism.