Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry, through an amendment to its 1995 principal order, has banned the use of several medically important antimicrobials in India’s aquaculture sector. This directive came into effect in May 2025 after consultations with the Export Inspection Council.
Key Highlights of Ban
Prohibits use of antimicrobial medicinal products for:
- Growth promotion
- Yield enhancement in aquaculture
Applies to:
- Hatcheries
- Feed manufacturing units
- Processing and pre-processing facilities
Ban covers shrimp, prawns, and all fishery products
Antimicrobials Banned
- 12 classes of antibiotics
- 6 specific antibiotics listed in WHO’s list of Medically Important Antimicrobials for Human Medicine
- These include drugs reserved solely for human use, excluding phosphonic acid derivatives (permitted in animals and humans)
- Entire groups and related medicinal products also covered under the ban
- This decision aligns with India’s commitments under the National Action Plan on AMR and helps improve export quality control, especially to markets like the EU and USA, where strict residue limits are enforced.
Need for the Ban
Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR):
- Overuse in food-animal production (poultry, dairy, aquaculture) leads to AMR
- AMR makes infections harder to treat by rendering drugs ineffective
Food Safety Concerns:
- Residues of antimicrobials in meat, milk, and fish are unsafe
- Linked to public health threats and international trade rejections
India’s Aquaculture Sector
India’s Global Rank:
- 2nd largest aquaculture producer
- 3rd largest fish producer
- Contributes ~9% to global fish output
Seafood Export in FY 2023–24:
- Volume: 1.78 million tonnes
- Value: USD 7.38 billion (Rs 60,523.89 crore)
- Key markets: USA and China
- Frozen shrimp is the main export product
Background: Previous Regulations
- 2002: Ministry of Commerce banned 20 pharmacologically active substances (including 5 antibiotics and 5 antibiotic classes)
- October 2024: FSSAI banned several antibiotics across all animal-derived food production
- 2019: Ministry of Health banned colistin in food-producing animals
- March 2025: Ban extended to chloramphenicol, nitrofurans, and their formulations
- Coastal Aquaculture Authority already restricts substances in coastal farming zones
Global Perspective
Estimated Antimicrobial Use in Aquaculture:
- 2017: ~10,259 tonnes
- 2030 (Projected): ~13,600 tonnes (33% increase)
- Asia-Pacific region (including India) accounts for majority of this use
Impact on Trade
- Residues of banned drugs risk rejection of seafood exports due to non-tariff barriers
- Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures under WTO are key trade standards
Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Measures
Purpose:
- Ensure protection of human, animal, and plant life from contaminants
Governed by:
- WTO Agreement on the Application of SPS Measures (1995)
- Emphasis on science-based, non-discriminatory regulations to minimize trade disruption
International Reference Bodies:
- Codex Alimentarius Commission (FAO/WHO)– food safety
- World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH)– animal health and zoonoses
- International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)– plant protection