CHENNAI: The Indian government is set to set up its first dedicated marine export zone (MEZ) as a special economic zone (SEZ) to strengthen the country’s seafood export ecosystem, with an investment of about $1 billion in integrated export infrastructure.The five MEZs, to be developed in coastal Tamil Nadu as a pilot initiative, will operate as integrated clusters including feed mills, hatcheries, aquaculture farms, seafood processing units, cold storage facilities, packaging centres, export logistics infrastructure and marine supporting MSMEs. The project is being led by the Madras Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry. According to officials, the proposed MEZ is expected to generate annual export potential of about Rs 32,000 crore and employment for 1.4 lakh to 1.8 lakh people.
India’s seafood exports are increasing
About 2,500 acres of salt-pan land in Tiruvallur, Villupuram, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai and Ramanathapuram districts has been identified for the project. The land is currently owned by the Salt Commissioner’s Organization (SCO) under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). MEPZ has written to DPIIT demanding transfer of land to develop the MEZ.“This will be the first set of MEZs to be set up in the country. The land parcels offer several advantages including access to brackish water, a rich coastal ecosystem, potential for integrated farming and proximity to ports and processing facilities,” an official told TOI. The country exported 19.72 lakh metric tonnes of seafood worth $8.5 billion during 2025-26, the highest ever in terms of both quantity and value.
