India’s first Organic Fisheries Cluster launched in Sikkim

The Government of India has launched the country's first organic fisheries cluster in Soreng District of Sikkim. The fisheries cluster set up under the central government’s Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) was inaugurated by Union Minister for Panchayati Raj; and Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh in Guwahati, Assam on 6 January 2025.

Sikkim is the first fully organic state of India and was certified in 2016. Sikkim now aims to be the first state in India in organic fisheries..

The Department of Fisheries,government of India has previously notified clusters such as the 

Pearl Cluster in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, Ornamental Fisheries Cluster in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Seaweed Cluster in Lakshadweep and Tuna Cluster in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.  

First Organic Fisheries Cluster 

• The first organic fisheries cluster under the PMMSY will be funded by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
• NABARD will support the fisheries cluster by funding infrastructure, capacity  building, and forming fisheries-based Farmer Producer Organizations (FFPOs).  
• These clusters will promote organic fisheries and aquaculture free from harmful chemicals, antibiotics and pesticides. 

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) 

The Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana  was launched as a centrally sponsored scheme by the central government in 2020.

It replaced the Blue Revolution Integrated Development and Management Fisheries Scheme or Blue Revolution Scheme which was launched 2015-16.

Duration of the scheme: Five years (2020-21 to 2024-25) with an investment of Rs 20,050 crore. 

Implementing Body - Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying .

Aim of the Scheme 

• Increase fish production from 13.75 million metric tons in 2018-19 to o 22 million metric tons by 2024-25.
• Increase aquaculture productivity to 5 tons per hectare..
• Increase domestic fish consumption from 5 kg to 12 kg per capita by 2024-25.
• Increase contribution of the fisheries sector to the Agriculture Gross Value Addition (GVA) to about 9% by 2024-25 from 7.28% in 2018-19.
• Double export from Rs.46,589 crores in 2018-19 to Rs.1,00,000 crores by 2024-25.

Cluster based Approach 

• Under the PMMSY, the cluster-based approach focuses on uniting geographically connected enterprises across the fisheries value chain.
• It focuses on  fostering collaboration among stakeholders along the entire fisheries sectors such as fishers, processors, and transporters, the model aims to reduce costs, improve financial viability and promote innovation.