134 Lakh Tonnes Sold Fresh: Domestic Demand is Reshaping India’s Fisheries
TL;DR India’s fisheries sector is undergoing a structural shift. Inland aquaculture is now driving India’s overall fish production growth, supported by a massive rise in fish seed production and changing market demand. Between 2018–19 and 2022–23, inland fish production grew from 97 lakh tonnes to 131 lakh tonnes, while marine production grew marginally from 39 to 44 lakh tonnes.
Simultaneously, fish seed production saw a dramatic expansion under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), rising from 48,204 million fry in 2018–19 to nearly 359,000 million fry in 2022–23, enabling rapid scaling of inland fish farming. Consumption patterns also shifted; most fish is now sold fresh in domestic markets (134 lakh tonnes in 2022–23), with only a limited share entering the frozen export-oriented chain.
Context
India’s coastline stretches over 11,000 km, and deep-sea waters hold high-value species like tuna, billfish, and oceanic squid. Yet, most of India’s fishing still occurs in shallow coastal waters, where resources are increasingly pressured.
In contrast, inland aquaculture in ponds, tanks, reservoirs, and paddies has expanded rapidly, offering higher and more predictable yields. This shift is closely tied to the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) in 2020, which is a nationwide program focused on boosting production, strengthening hatcheries, modernising fishing infrastructure, improving cold chains, and enhancing fisher livelihoods. PMMSY laid the institutional and financial foundation for India’s move toward a Blue Economy driven by inland aquaculture.
Who Compiles This Data?
The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, publishes the Handbook on Fisheries Statistics, an annual publication detailing fish production, economy, exports, fisherman population, resources, welfare, institutes, international scenario, post-harvest infrastructure, and fisheries development.
Where can I download Clean & Structured Data about Fish Production in India?
Clean, structured, and ready-to-use datasets related to Year- and state-wise fish production can be downloaded from Dataful.
Key Insights
India’s Fish Production Boom Is Happening Inland, Not at Sea
India’s overall fish production has grown substantially over the past five years, rising from about 136 lakh tonnes in 2018–19 to 175 lakh tonnes in 2022–23. Most of this growth has come from inland aquaculture, where production increased from 97 lakh tonnes to 131 lakh tonnes during the same period.
In contrast, marine production increased only modestly, from around 39 lakh tonnes to 44 lakh tonnes. This widening gap clearly shows that inland systems like ponds, tanks, and reservoir-based aquaculture are now driving India’s Blue Economy, while the growth of coastal capture fisheries remains comparatively limited.
Andhra Pradesh is Leading India’s Fish Farming
Among all states, Andhra Pradesh stands out as the largest contributor to inland production, accounting for nearly 198 lakh tonnes between 2018–19 and 2022–23, far more than any other state. West Bengal follows with around 84 lakh tonnes, while Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Bihar each contributed between 28 and 38 lakh tonnes during the same period.
This concentration of production reflects not only natural resource availability but also the presence of strong hatchery networks, feed supply chains, aquaculture clusters, and cold-chain infrastructure, particularly in Andhra Pradesh. The data highlights that India’s inland fisheries growth is geographically anchored in the East and Centre of the country, rather than only along the coastline.
Marine Fish Production Remains Stable
Marine fish production has grown more slowly, with total output increasing from about 39 lakh tonnes in 2018–19 to 44 lakh tonnes in 2022–23. The leading marine-producing states include Gujarat (about 35 lakh tonnes), Tamil Nadu (28 lakh tonnes), Kerala (28 lakh tonnes), Andhra Pradesh (29 lakh tonnes), and Karnataka (25 lakh tonnes) over the five-year period.
However, this growth remains constrained due to overfishing in coastal waters, climate variability affecting fish migration, and limited adoption of deep-sea fishing technologies. The stability of marine production underscores the need for expanded offshore capacity and stronger sustainability measures to avoid long-term resource depletion.
Fish Seed Production Has Increased Nearly Sevenfold
The most striking data trend is the dramatic rise in fish seed production, which jumped from about 48,000 million fry in 2018–19 to over 358,000 million fry in 2022–23. This represents a more than seven-fold increase in just four years.
Such rapid expansion indicates a deliberate scaling-up of hatcheries and broodstock development systems nationwide. The ability to supply seed at this scale is what has enabled India’s inland production to grow so quickly, making fish seed the critical input driving the country’s aquaculture-based Blue Economy growth model.
Most Fish in India is Sold Fresh in Domestic Markets, Not Exported
The majority of India’s fish is consumed within the country rather than exported. The volume of fish sold fresh in domestic markets increased from about 74 lakh tonnes in 2018–19 to 134 lakh tonnes in 2022–23, nearly doubling in five years. Meanwhile, fish entering the frozen export-oriented chain increased more modestly from around 9 lakh tonnes to 20 lakh tonnes. Other processed forms, such as cured, canned, or reduced fish, have remained relatively stable, ranging between 13 and 17 lakh tonnes annually.
This trend signals rising domestic demand for fish as an accessible and affordable protein, and also highlights a strategic opportunity to expand cold-chain and value-added processing capacity for both domestic and export markets.
Why Does It Matter?
India’s Blue Economy is shifting from marine capture to inland aquaculture, driven by expanded fish seed production and PMMSY-supported infrastructure. This transition is already improving rural income opportunities and domestic food supply, but sustaining it will require:
- Seed quality regulation to prevent disease and productivity loss
- More cold-chain and processing infrastructure to reduce spoilage
- Inclusive support for small and traditional fishing communities
If guided carefully, this shift positions India to become a global leader in sustainable, inland-based aquaculture growth.
Key Numbers (from 2018-19 to 2022-23, in lakh tonnes)
Total Fish Production
2018-19: 136 → 2020-21: 147 → 2022-23: 175
Inland Fish Production
2018-19: 97 → 2020-21: 112 → 2022-23: 131
Marine Fish Production
2018-19: 39 → 2020-21: 35 → 2022-23: 44
Fish Seed Production (in million fry)
2018-19: 48,204 → 2020-21: 54,069 → 2022-23: 3,58,985
Disposition of Fish (2022-23 in Lakh Tonnes)
Marketing Fresh: 134, Frozen: 20, Others (Cured, Canned, Reduced, etc.): 16