Fed Up With Foreign MNCs Exploiting Indian Fish Farmers, Mumbai Man Builds A Startup To Help Make Aquaculture More Profitable

• 25 April 2025
• Akriti Singh

For decades, India’s aquaculture industry—one of the largest in the world—has paradoxically remained an unprofitable venture for the very people driving it: the fish farmers. Despite the rising demand for seafood and India’s massive export potential, small and medium-scale farmers often find themselves stuck in an exploitative cycle, reliant on foreign multinationals for everything from feed to equipment, often at high costs and low reliability.

But one man from Mumbai decided enough was enough.

Meet Arjun Mehta, a young entrepreneur with deep family roots in coastal Maharashtra. Raised in a fishing community and later educated in marine sciences and technology, Arjun witnessed firsthand how foreign companies dominated India’s aquaculture supply chain—selling imported feed at inflated prices, offering overpriced technology with little local support, and leaving farmers with razor-thin margins.

“The problem wasn’t that Indian farmers didn’t want to innovate,” Arjun explains. “It was that they didn’t have the right support system. The solutions being pushed on them were either too expensive or not suited to our climate and local species. They were being forced into dependency.”

That realization sparked the birth of AquaNirvana, a startup designed to put power back into the hands of Indian fish farmers.

Building a Farmer-First Aquaculture Ecosystem

Launched in early 2022, AquaNirvana blends tech innovation with grassroots support. Its offerings are wide-ranging but all revolve around one core principle: empowerment.

• Smart Aquaculture Tools: From AI-powered water monitoring systems to automated feeders tailored for Indian conditions, AquaNirvana develops hardware and software that’s affordable, robust, and easy to use.

• Locally Made, Globally Competitive: Instead of relying on expensive imported feed or machinery, AquaNirvana sources and manufactures within India, drastically cutting costs for farmers.

• Education & Access: Through workshops, on-site training, and multilingual online resources, farmers learn about disease prevention, sustainable practices, and efficient production methods.

• Direct-to-Market Channels: AquaNirvana helps farmers sell directly to restaurants, retailers, and even export markets, bypassing the traditional middlemen who eat into their profits.

Arjun’s approach is deeply community-oriented. The startup works closely with state fisheries departments, local cooperatives, and rural banks to provide microfinancing options so even the smallest farmer can upgrade operations without going into debt.

The Impact So Far

In just over two years, AquaNirvana has partnered with over 3,000 fish farmers across five states, including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Gujarat. Farmers using AquaNirvana's systems report up to 40% higher yields, improved water quality, and better disease management. Perhaps more importantly, they report hope—something that had long been in short supply.

Sunil Rao, a fish farmer from the Konkan coast, shares his experience: “Earlier, we were always worried—either the water would get spoiled, or we’d lose money on feed. Now, we get alerts on our phone if something's off, and AquaNirvana connects us directly to buyers. It’s changed everything.”

A Vision for the Future

Arjun isn’t just building a business; he’s nurturing a movement.

“We want Indian aquaculture to be self-reliant, sustainable, and fair,” he says. “We don’t need to keep importing solutions. Our farmers are smart. They just need tools and trust.”

As AquaNirvana scales up—with plans to expand into shrimp and ornamental fish segments and launch a dedicated mobile platform—Arjun remains grounded in his mission: ensuring that no Indian fish farmer is left behind.

In a world where foreign players have long dictated the rules of the game, AquaNirvana is showing that with innovation, empathy, and local focus, the tide can be turned—and prosperity can return to India’s waters.