Mint Explainer: How India plans to leverage Blue Ports to boost its marine produce
India and the FAO are enhancing Blue Port infrastructure to improve fishing ports' technical capacities. This aims to reduce marine product losses, modernise supply chains and boost fishers' earnings, addressing environmental and economic challenges in the fisheries sector.
Last month, India and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations agreed to strengthen the country’s Blue Port infrastructure. The objective is to enhance the technical capacities of fishing ports to address environmental, social and economic challenges that affect the aquatic value chain. Blue Ports are designed to integrate cold chains, processing hubs and efficient logistics systems aimed at reducing marine product losses.
Even though India’s marine product output has risen exponentially over the past decade, it loses almost 9% of its produce. This has become a major policy concern, highlighting the urgent need to modernise supply chains and improve infrastructure so that fishers can earn more and India can tap abundant global demand for seafood.
These losses have wide-ranging consequences—undermining fishers’ livelihoods, reducing export potential, and cutting into India’s foreign exchange earnings. Mint explains why closing these gaps is critical as India looks to move up the global seafood value chain.
How has India’s fish production grown over the years?
India’s total fish production more than doubled to a record 19.5 million tonnes in FY25 from about 9.6 million tonnes in FY14, according to official data. Yet, this increase has not translated into proportionate gains for fishers and exporters.
An assessment by the National Productivity Council, conducted for the Department of Fisheries in FY24, found that marine fisheries suffer average losses of 9.3%, while inland fisheries lose 8.9%. The study attributed the losses to poor cold-chain infrastructure, unhygienic handling and transport delays that often prevent produce from reaching markets on time. Many fishing harbours across the country still lack modern cold storage, clean processing units and sanitary auction facilities.
What are Blue Ports?
Blue Ports refer to fishing harbours that are technologically advanced and environmentally responsible. To curb wastage across India’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors, the government has unveiled plans to significantly strengthen post-harvest handling, ramp up cold-chain infrastructure and boost processing capacities.
The Department of Fisheries has approved three pilot harbours—Vanakbara (Diu), Karaikal (Puducherry) and Jakhau (Gujarat)—with an investment of ₹369.8 crore.
What will make these ports different from existing fishing harbours?
These modern harbours aim to ensure safer, cleaner and more efficient operations for India’s fishing communities. The initiative integrates smart technologies such as IoT devices, sensor networks, satellite communication and data analytics to streamline harbour operations and enable real-time decision-making.
Eco-friendly features such as rainwater harvesting systems, energy-efficient lighting, electric-powered equipment and comprehensive waste management—including sewage treatment and marine debris removal—highlight a commitment to sustainability while supporting cleaner, safer operations.
These upgrades also boost economic performance, promote social inclusion and protect marine ecosystems. However, many existing Indian fishing ports remain outdated, overcrowded, and environmentally unsustainable, making this transformation crucial.
What role does the UN’s FAO play in the Blue Ports project?
The Department of Fisheries signed a technical cooperation programme agreement with the FAO on 18 September to strengthen Blue Port infrastructure in India. The FAO will assist India in building technical capacities to address environmental, social and economic challenges affecting the aquatic value chain.
Two pilot fishing ports—Vanakbara (Diu) and Jakhau (Gujarat)—will benefit from this partnership. The collaboration aims to equip stakeholders with tools for investment planning and port design, helping address key challenges in the fisheries and aquaculture sector through better project formulation, prioritisation and implementation.
Why is the fisheries sector crucial to India’s economy and food security?
India is the second-largest fish-producing country, accounting for about 8% of global fish output. It remains an important source of food, nutrition, income and livelihood for millions. According to government data, over 28 million people are directly engaged in fish farming and capture fisheries, with many more employed in related activities such as processing, transport and exports.
Seafood exports reached $7.39 billion in FY25, underscoring the sector’s growing significance. With its potential to generate employment, combat malnutrition and boost foreign exchange earnings, fisheries are now seen as a strategic pillar of India’s blue economy.
Which government schemes are driving fisheries modernisation?
The government’s flagship schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) and Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY) are driving large-scale modernisation across the fisheries value chain.
The three pilot harbours are being developed under PMMSY, which was approved with an investment of ₹20,050 crore for FY21 to FY25 and has been extended to FY26.
The FIDF, launched in FY19, has a total fund size of ₹7,522.48 crore. The PM-MKSSY, a central sector sub-scheme under PMMSY, was approved in February 2024 and is being implemented across all states and union territories from FY24 to FY27, with an estimated financial outlay of ₹6,000 crore.
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