Vibrant Gujarat Conference spotlights Odisha’s Blue economy vision, value-added seafood roadmap

By Sudam Patra

Balasore, Jan. 13: Shri Prem Sanker Satpathy, Group Managing Director of the Magnum Group of Companies and a leading investor and mentor in blue economy ventures, represented Odisha at the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference, articulating a forward-looking national roadmap for value-added seafood exports and sustainable marine-led growth.

The high-profile conference emerged as a major platform bringing together national leadership, global diplomats and India’s top industry captains to reaffirm the country’s commitment to sustainable, high-value economic expansion. It was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Harsh Sanghavi, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal, Union Minister Smt. Nimuben Bambhaniya and Gujarat Cabinet Minister Shri Arjun Modhwadia.

The event also saw the presence of industry leaders including Shri Mukesh Ambani and Shri Gautam Adani, besides Members of Parliament, MLAs, senior bureaucrats and international dignitaries such as Rwanda’s High Commissioner to India, H.E. Ms. Jacqueline Mukangira, and Ukraine’s Ambassador to India, H.E. Dr. Oleksandr Polishchuk, underlining its global and cross-sectoral significance.

With a strong focus on the blue economy, sustainability, climate action and science-led industrial growth, the conference positioned India’s marine and seafood sectors as strategic drivers of future economic growth.

As a special invitee, Shri Satpathy participated in discussions aimed at exploring collaboration between Odisha and Gujarat in seafood processing, marine biotechnology, climate-resilient practices and value-added exports. Addressing the gathering, he highlighted Odisha’s advances in fisheries development, environmental protection, climate initiatives, skill development and employment generation.

While noting that India has already emerged as a global seafood superpower, he pointed out that a large share of exports continues to be raw or minimally processed, resulting in significant value loss. He emphasised that converting even 30–40 per cent of seafood exports into super value-added formats—such as ready-to-cook, ready-to-serve and ready-to-eat products—could multiply export value by two to five times without increasing fishing or aquaculture pressure.

Shri Satpathy also highlighted the untapped potential of seafood by-products like shells, heads and skins, which can be transformed into omega-3 oils, collagen, chitin, bioplastics, enzymes and nutraceuticals, enabling zero-waste processing in line with global best practices followed in countries such as Norway and Japan.

On the policy front, he advocated a mission-mode National Blue Biotechnology framework, streamlined regulatory mechanisms including single-window clearances and regulatory sandboxes, and stronger public–private partnerships linking government, research institutions, industry and coastal communities. He further urged dedicated policy support to help existing seafood exporters modernise facilities for high-value consumer-ready products without creating environmental stress.

His suggestions on innovation-led PPPs and regulatory reforms received positive appreciation from senior officials of the Union Ministry of Science and Technology, policymakers and industry leaders.

Shri Prem Sanker Satpathy’s participation and execution-oriented vision positioned him as a credible national voice from Odisha on sustainable seafood, marine biotechnology and coastal development, reinforcing Odisha’s growing role in India’s evolving blue economy narrative.