The government has issued around 4.76 lakh Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) and disbursed Rs 3,214.32 crore under fisheries lending schemes as of June 2025. Additionally, loans totaling over Rs 13,000 crore have been approved for the fisheries sector through various schemes. The Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund has approved 178 proposals for financing, amounting to over Rs 6,369 crore loans as of July 2025.
The KCC for Fisheries, established in 2018–19, serves as the primary short-term credit tool, offering loans at a 7 per cent interest rate that reduces to 4 per cent upon timely repayment. Furthermore, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund, with a corpus of Rs 7,522.48 crore and an extended validity until March 2026, provides a 3 per cent interest subvention.
In a bid to further mitigate risks for banks, a Credit Guarantee Fund of Rs 750 crore managed by ‘NABSanrakshan’ supports collateral-free loans up to Rs 12.5 crore, as per the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The National Fisheries Digital Platform has engaged 12 nationalized banks, processed numerous applications, and facilitated remote loan requests, with over 19,000 beneficiaries applying, 350 approvals, and disbursements ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 5 crore.
Fish production has surged to a record high of 197 lakh tonnes in FY 2024–25, nearly doubling from 95.79 lakh tonnes in 2013–14. The government targets 220 lakh tonnes by FY26, aiming to support approximately three crore livelihoods and achieve exports worth Rs 62,408 crore in FY25, with frozen shrimp leading the way as a major commodity and the United States and China as key markets, as per official statements. The fisheries sector currently contributes 7.26 per cent to agricultural GVA, with policy initiatives like the GST reduction on key fish products from 12 per cent to 5 per cent enhancing both local consumption and global competitiveness.
