Key Terms & Concepts — UPSC Mains
Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA)
"The statutory body that promotes and regulates India's seafood exports under the Ministry of Commerce"
The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is a statutory body established in 1972 under the MPEDA Act, functioning under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It is the nodal agency for the development and regulation of India's marine products exports, covering quality control, certification, processing standards, market promotion, and the registration of exporters. MPEDA works to expand and diversify seafood exports while ensuring they meet the food-safety and traceability norms of global markets.
In June 2026, the Commerce Minister set a target to scale India's seafood exports from about USD 8.5 billion to USD 30 billion by 2031, with MPEDA as the nodal body. UPSC tests it under GS3 (economy, blue economy, fisheries), often alongside the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana, the Blue Revolution, and the risks of over-dependence on shrimp and the US market.
- 1 Statutory body established 1972 under the MPEDA Act; under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
- 2 Nodal agency for promoting and regulating India's seafood exports (quality, certification, market promotion)
- 3 Central to the June 2026 target of USD 30 billion seafood exports by 2031 (from about USD 8.5 billion)
- 4 Strategy emphasises value-added products over raw commodities and leveraging new free trade agreements
- 5 Complements the PM Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) and the Blue Revolution
- 6 Shrimp is India's dominant seafood export; the United States is a major market
