Sydney, Australia: Andhra Pradesh Minister for Education, IT, and Electronics, Nara Lokesh, met with representatives of Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) near Parramatta, Sydney, as part of his ongoing Australia tour. The meeting focused on building strong trade and technology partnerships to boost the quality, exports, and sustainability of Andhra Pradesh’s seafood sector.
SIA CEO Veronica Papacosta and Engagement Manager Jasmine Kelley briefed Minister Lokesh on the organization’s role in uniting over 30,000 businesses across Australia’s wild-catch, aquaculture, and seafood processing sectors since its inception in 2017. They said the seafood industry contributes about AUD 3.5 billion annually to the Australian economy and works closely with government and research institutions to enhance biosecurity and export performance.
Minister Lokesh highlighted that Andhra Pradesh leads India in seafood exports, accounting for more than 60% of the country’s total aqua exports. In 2024–25 alone, we exported 16.98 million tonnes of aqua products worth USD 7.4 billion (approximately ₹66,000 crore). He invited Australia’s seafood sector to collaborate with Andhra Pradesh exporters through trade missions and global networking programs to strengthen market links and open new export opportunities.
Lokesh called for the introduction of modern technologies in processing, cold chain management, and packaging to improve product quality and shelf life. He also stressed the need for sustainable aquaculture practices and effective fishery resource management to boost productivity while protecting the environment.
Encouraging cross-border culinary collaborations, the minister proposed promoting Andhra Pradesh’s seafood cuisine to attract culinary tourism. He also suggested joint projects to enhance climate resilience in the seafood sector, especially against challenges such as rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions.
Lokesh’s meeting with SIA marks another step in Andhra Pradesh’s vision to become a global hub for sustainable, high-quality seafood exports — powered by international collaboration, innovation, and responsible growth.