The Department of Fisheries, Government of Madhya Pradesh and the Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (MoFAHD), Government of India (GoI) are organising Fisheries Investors & Exporters Conclave 2026 to be held on 23 October 2026 in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The Conclave aims to strengthen linkages between inland fisheries production and investment, processing, cold-chain infrastructure, value addition and export markets. It seeks to encourage a shift from a predominantly production-oriented approach towards an integrated value-chain model, with a focus on improving market access and returns for fishermen and fish farmers.
The Conclave will bring together investors, exporters, fishers, more than 1,000 fish farmers from various parts of Madhya Pradesh, fisheries cooperatives, Fish Farmer Producer Organisations (FFPOs), entrepreneurs, start-ups, processors, financial institutions, research organisations and other stakeholders. Deliberations will focus on enterprise development, access to finance, market linkages and opportunities for collaboration across the inland fisheries value chain, with particular emphasis on integrating inland States into the fisheries investment and export ecosystem.
A key feature of the Conclave will be the release of the MADHYA PRADESH FISHERIES INVESTMENT AND EXPORT GUIDELINES, 2026. Madhya Pradesh has been notified by the Center as a Reservoir Fisheries Cluster. The policy is intended to facilitate investment across key segments of the fisheries value chain, including hatcheries, fish seed and feed, reservoir and cage fisheries, aquatic animal health, processing, cold-chain infrastructure, logistics, value addition and market development.
The programme will also feature the release of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on the export potential of inland States, the virtual inauguration of Integrated Cage Culture Units. During the event, Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj will hand over the Administrative Approval for the Integrated Development of Reservoirs and Amrit Sarovars in Madhya Pradesh. These initiatives are expected to support investment in inland fisheries, promote the productive utilisation of water resources and encourage enterprise development.
The Conclave assumes significance in the context of India’s expanding fisheries sector and its growing contribution to food security, livelihoods and export earnings. India’s fish production reached 197.75 lakh tonnes in 2024–25, of which 151.60 lakh tonnes came from inland fisheries, accounting for nearly three-fourths of the country’s total fish production. India’s seafood exports were valued at ₹73,890 crore in 2025–26. These figures highlight the importance of strengthening infrastructure, processing capabilities and market linkages to realise the potential of inland fisheries.
Madhya Pradesh, with nearly 4.50 lakh hectares of water area, offers considerable potential for inland fisheries development. The Conclave seeks to connect the State’s production base, along with that of other inland States, with investment, processing, value addition and domestic and export markets.
The Conclave will be graced by Dr. Mohan Yadav, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh; Shri Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Hon’ble Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj; Prof. S. P. Singh Baghel, Hon’ble Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj; and Shri Narayan Singh Pawar, Hon’ble Minister, Department of Fisherman Welfare and Fisheries Development, Government of Madhya Pradesh.
Through stakeholder engagement and deliberations on investment and market development, the Conclave seeks to promote more competitive and market-oriented inland fisheries value chains, expand opportunities for enterprises and exporters, and strengthen livelihood and income opportunities for fishermen and fish farmers.
