The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) concluded the second edition of its National Skill Olympiad on Seafood Value Addition during Seafood Expo Bharat 2026 in Kochi on Wednesday, July 2, 2026. The competition featured ten finalists selected from regional rounds held in Mumbai (West Coast Zone) and Visakhapatnam (East Coast Zone) on June 30th.
P. Surya Bhaskar from Devi Fisheries Ltd. in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, emerged as the winner, receiving a cash prize of ₹1,00,000. Muthu Kumaran of Theva & Co. from Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu secured second place with ₹75,000, while Sagarika Sardar of SS Seafoods Pvt. Ltd. from Kolkata, West Bengal and Barasarani Jena of Sabri Food Products Pvt. Ltd. from Bhubaneswar, Odisha secured third and fourth positions with prizes of ₹50,000 and ₹25,000 respectively.
In preparation for the event, MPEDA conducted 50 Seafood Value Addition Training Programmes across India's east and west coasts, training more than 2,500 seafood processing professionals in preparing products with high international demand. During the finale, participants prepared six specific value-added products: Nobashi Shrimp, Breaded Butterfly Shrimp, Cooked Peeled Deveined Tail-On (PDTO) Shrimp, Marinated Shrimp Skewers, Breaded Squid Rings, and Fish Fillets.
The competition was judged by a panel including Dr. Sarika K. (Senior Scientist, ICAR-CIFT, Kochi), Dr. Nithin C.T. (Processing and Quality Assurance Supervisor, NIFPHATT, Kochi), Shri Francis Assisi (Production Manager, Parayil Seafood Pvt. Ltd.), Shri Jayan Jacob (General Manager, Sandhya Aqua Exports Pvt. Ltd.), and Shri Vijayakrishna (General Manager, VKM Foods). Evaluation criteria included technical skill, hygiene, precision, presentation, and finished product quality.
MPEDA Chairman Shri P. Jawahar emphasized that the Olympiad represents a milestone in building a resilient and globally competitive seafood sector capable of meeting international market expectations. The award ceremony was attended by MPEDA officials including Director Dr. Ram Mohan M.K., Secretary Dr. Gibin Kumar, Joint Director Shri Anilkumar, and Chief Guest Dr. K. N. Raghavan, CEO of the Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI), who distributed prizes, medals, and certificates.
The event attracted senior officials from Central and State Governments, seafood exporters, international buyers, industry leaders, and technical experts. Award-winning products were showcased at the Skill Olympiad Pavilion with live demonstrations and tasting sessions of export-oriented value-added seafood products developed through MPEDA's training programmes.