THEBUSINESSBYTE BUREAU

NEW DELHI, JUNE 29, 2026

With India aiming to significantly expand its value-added seafood exports, the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) will organise the second edition of the National Seafood Skill Olympiad from July 1 to 3 as part of Seafood Expo Bharat (SEB) 2026, bringing together the country’s finest seafood processing professionals to demonstrate cutting-edge skills and innovation.

The three-day competition, organised under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, seeks to promote excellence in seafood processing by recognising industry talent, enhancing product quality, encouraging innovation and strengthening workforce capabilities. The initiative forms a key part of India’s strategy to increase value addition in marine exports and reinforce its position as a leading global seafood supplier.

The National Seafood Skill Olympiad is the culmination of an extensive nationwide capacity-building programme undertaken by MPEDA. Over the past year, the authority conducted 50 Seafood Value Addition Training Programmes across the country, training more than 2,500 seafood processing workers and professionals in preparing export-oriented, value-added seafood products.

Participants received hands-on training in the production of premium international market products, including breaded squid rings, Nobashi (stretched shrimp), breaded butterfly shrimp, cooked Peeled, Deveined, Tail-On (PDTO) shrimp, marinated shrimp skewers and fish fillets. The best performers advanced through preliminary competitions, followed by state-level contests across coastal states and regional Olympiads held in Mumbai for the West Coast and Vijayawada for the East Coast.

The top 10 finalists emerging from the regional competitions will compete in the Grand Finale before an eminent jury comprising experts from the seafood processing industry and academia. Winners will receive medals, certificates and cash prizes of ₹1 lakh for the first prize, ₹75,000 for the second, ₹50,000 for the third and ₹25,000 as the consolation award.

The award-winning seafood products developed during the competition will be displayed at the Skill Olympiad Pavilion, where visitors can also witness live demonstrations and tasting sessions featuring export-oriented seafood products developed through MPEDA’s training programmes.

MPEDA Chairman P. Jawahar said the National Seafood Skill Olympiad reflects the authority’s commitment to fostering excellence across the seafood value chain by recognising skilled professionals and strengthening workforce capabilities. He said sustained investment in human capital is vital for maintaining India’s leadership in the blue economy and equipping the industry with a highly skilled workforce capable of meeting evolving international market demands.

Seafood Expo Bharat 2026, regarded as India’s premier international seafood exposition, will feature more than 325 exhibition stalls showcasing seafood processing technologies, aquaculture, packaging machinery, logistics solutions and government initiatives. Nearly 5,000 domestic and international stakeholders are expected to participate in business-to-business meetings, technical sessions and networking events focused on innovation, sustainability and emerging industry trends.

Alongside the National Seafood Skill Olympiad, the exposition will also host the Seafood Culinary Olympiad, creating a comprehensive platform for exporters, buyers, processors, researchers and policymakers to explore new business opportunities and forge strategic partnerships across the global seafood value chain.

India’s seafood exports reached a record USD 8.45 billion during FY 2025-26, underlining the country’s status as one of the world’s leading seafood exporters. The country currently has 670 approved seafood processing units with a combined processing capacity exceeding 40,000 metric tonnes per day. Of these, 127 units manufacture value-added seafood products, accounting for nearly 10 per cent (USD 0.84 billion) of total seafood exports.

With an ambitious target of increasing the share of value-added seafood products to 25 per cent of total seafood exports by 2030, MPEDA continues to implement schemes aimed at promoting product innovation, expanding processing infrastructure, developing skilled manpower and strengthening quality standards to drive the next phase of growth in India’s blue economy.