Problem

Marine fish have the highest post-harvest loss of any animal product measured

National

The NABCONS study for the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (reference years 2020-22) estimated post-harvest losses of 8.76 per cent for marine fish and 4.86 per cent for inland fish, compared with 6.03 per cent for eggs, 5.63 per cent for poultry, 2.34 per cent for meat and 0.87 per cent for milk. Evidence confidence: High — a single study.

This is the most specific entry on this branch of the catalogue. The evidence behind it is below.

Who is responsible

Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying — Department of Fisheries · Ministry or Department
Ministry of Food Processing Industries · Ministry or Department
Coastal State Fisheries Departments · State Government

Evidence and sources

Schemes to Minimise Post-Harvest Losses — reply in Rajya Sabha · Official statementMinistry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, 25 July 2025. Loss ranges from the NABCONS 'Study to determine Post harvest losses of Agri Produce in India' (2022, reference years 2020-22; 54 commodities, 15 agro-climatic zones, 292 districts).

Alongside this

About one in eight assessed marine fish stocks is overfished or being overfished
ICAR–Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute's Marine Fish Stock Status of India, 2022 assessed 135 stocks: 86.7 per cent were sustainable, 4.4 per cent were subject to overfishing, 8.2 per cent were overfished and 0.7 per cent were rebuilding; none had collapsed. Most assessed stocks are therefore healthy, and the problem is concentrated in a minority of them. Evidence confidence: High for the stocks assessed; stocks not assessed are not covered.

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Who is responsible

Evidence and sources

Alongside this

About one in eight assessed marine fish stocks is overfished or being overfished