India's per capita fish consumption jumps 81% during 2005-21

India's annual per capita fish consumption increased to 8.89 kg in 2021 from 4.9 kg in 2005, indicating changes in dietary mix driven by higher income and rising prosperity, according to a study.

Among fish-eating populations, per capita annual fish consumption increased from 7.43 kg to 12.33 kg, an increase of 4.9 kg (66 per cent).

The study was conducted by WorldFish, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in association with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and other government bodies. The timeframe for this study was 2005-2006 to 2019-2021.

During the 2005-2021 period, the country's fish production jumped over twofold to 14.164 million tonnes, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.63 per cent.

Out of the total fish output, the domestic consumption of fish accounted for 82.36 per cent in 2005-2006, 86.2 per cent in 2015-2016 and 83.65 per cent in 2019-2020. The rest was used for non-food purposes and exports.

The study noted that there was a rapid rise in the quantity of imported fish and fishery products for consumption within the country. These increased 543 per cent over the timeframe, with a CAGR of 12.84 per cent, from about 14,000 tonnes in 20052006 to 76,000 tonnes in 2019-2020.

Considering both locally sourced and imported fish, the total quantity of fish consumed in the domestic market increased 120 per cent to 11.924 million tonnes, from 5.428 million tonnes.

"Annual per capita fish consumption increased from 4.9 to 8.89 kg, an increase of 3.99 kg (81.43 per cent) with a growth rate of 4.05 per cent," said the report titled 'Fish consumption in India: Patterns and trends'.

India outperformed the World Bank's lower-middle income country group, with a 60 per cent increase in per capita fish consumption compared to the group's 45 per cent average, the report said, but added that India's consumption remained lower than the group's average of 14.94 kg in 2020. PTI "Remarkably, fish consumption is surging faster than the global population growth rate, attributed to rising incomes, heightened awareness of its health benefits and the expanding urban footprint.