Marine Products Export Development Authority
Also called: MPEDA · Topic: International Trade Policy, WTO and Intellectual Property · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce. "Statutory" means it was set up by an Act of Parliament, the MPEDA Act. Its job is to grow India's seafood exports, which means fish, shrimp and other sea products sold abroad. It registers exporters and processing units. It helps them meet the quality and safety standards that foreign buyers demand. It also supports facilities such as processing plants and cold chains, which keep catch frozen or chilled from boat to buyer. MPEDA matters because a big catch earns little unless it is processed well and reaches foreign markets.
Example
In 2026 the government released a strategy to make the Andaman & Nicobar Islands a base for tuna fishing. Under it, MPEDA is to strengthen its presence in the islands so that tuna can be exported directly from there. Without this, the catch would first go to mainland ports. The aim is to move from just catching fish to earning more from each fish through processing and exports.
Don't confuse with
- Department of Fisheries (under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying): it runs fish production schemes such as PMMSY and the tuna and seaweed clusters. MPEDA works on the export side and comes under the Commerce Ministry.