CHENNAI: The Indian government is set to set up its first designated marine export zones (MEZs) as special economic zones (SEZs) to strengthen the country’s seafood export ecosystem, with investments of around $1 billion in integrated export infrastructure.The five medium economic zones, to be developed across the Tamil Nadu coast as a pilot initiative, will be integrated clusters comprising feed mills, hatcheries, aquaculture farms, seafood processing units, cold storage facilities, packaging centres, export logistics infrastructure and marine auxiliary SMEs. The project is being led by the Madras Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The proposed MEZs are expected to have an annual export potential of around Rs 32,000 crore and generate employment for 1.4 to 1.8 lakh people, according to officials.
India’s seafood exports are rising
About 2,500 acres of salt land in Tiruvallur, Villupuram, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai and Ramanathapuram districts have 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 the Department of Public Investments International (DPIIT) requesting the transfer of ownership of the land for the development of MEZs.“This will be the first set of medium economic zones to be set up in the country. The plots offer several advantages, including access to brackish water, rich coastal ecosystem, potential for integrated agriculture, and proximity to ports and processing facilities,” an official told TOI. The country exported 19.72 lakh metric tons of seafood worth $8.5 billion during 2025-26, an all-time high in terms of volume and value.