For Sandip Lotulkar, founder Agro Marine Aggregators Pvt. Ltd, Quepem, being in the agro marine industry is not just a business but a community driven initiative, discovers Soiru Velip
In the heart of India’s western coast, one man is quietly revolutionizing the seafood economy- Sandip Lotulkar, who is the founder and CEO of Agro Marine Aggregators Pvt. Ltd. Quepem .
From modern aquaculture to cold chain logistics, from grassroots consulting to export ambitions, his company is shaping a new future for India’s marine and inland fisheries which is sustainable, community-driven, and globally competitive.
A former UAE banker with an MBA from Pune University and deep roots in Goa, Lotulkar gave up a stable corporate life to return home and build something meaningful. What followed was no fairy tale. He worked from scratch, often quite literally from, “the street to the sea, from AC boardrooms to fish farms.” That raw experience built the foundation for a business grounded in on-field realities and long-term impact.
The company Agro Marine Aggregators was created to address the deep inefficiencies in India’s fishery value chain. “Fish rearing and marine harvesting continue to suffer from outdated practices, poor storage infrastructure, and a lack of access to profitable markets in coastal and riverine communities across Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Kerala,” he says.
In order to give end- to- end solution to agro marine he decided to focus on scientific aquaculture consulting, cold storage and blast freezing infrastructure as well as local processing with value addition having direct market and export linkages.
Lotulkar says that a major game-changer is cold storage, which ensures that seafood quality is preserved from source to sale, dramatically reducing wastage and unlocking better prices.
“Coastal women and SHGs are trained to create fish-based products such as pickles, dried varieties, and frozen packs, thereby opening new income channels and boosting local entrepreneurship.” My company connects producers directly with bulk buyers, retailers, and export houses, eliminating intermediaries and improving income for small stakeholders.
Lotulkar’s journey while driving real change is shaped as much by resilience as by innovation.“The biggest hurdle isn’t technology. It is policy and perception,” he remarks.
Despite multiple schemes aimed at boosting fisheries and aquaculture, many remain out of reach due to red tape, unclear processes, and sluggish execution at the state level. Subsidies are delayed, applications remain pending for years, and frontline stakeholders often lack the support to navigate these systems.
“The issue isn’t funding. It is implementation,” Lotulkar adds, stating that there’s plenty of potential, but action is needed where it matters viz. on the ground.”
He is of the opinion that the disconnect between ambitious policies and field-level impact has created a trust deficit. Despite the clear economic advantages, many small-scale fish farmers hesitate to adopt modern practices.
“For an alignment between policy vision and administrative action the state fisheries departments needs to move beyond paperwork and become growth enablers. With the right collaboration between government and entrepreneurs, India’s blue economy can become a global model of sustainable prosperity.”
He says that, support from NABARD, Goa and the Goa State Co-operative Bank, made a big difference to the company’s operations given that, the fisheries sector is often hindered by red tape and policy bottlenecks.
“The institutional support proved pivotal in our company’s journey. NABARD emerged as a key enabler by offering a robust platform for knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, and rural development initiatives. It’s ecosystem fostered innovation and alignment with national goals.”
Similarly, the GSCB under the guidance of its chairman played a transformative role. Beyond financing, the bank provided targeted support to establish blast freezing and cold storage facilities.
“The two infrastructures are crucial to reducing seafood spoilage and enhancing value retention. Institutions like NABARD and the GSCB, didn’t just offer schemes. They created platforms for building something lasting,” says Lotulkar. He remarks that, both institutions reflect how visionary leadership and adaptive institutional thinking can catalyze entrepreneurship in India’s blue economy. “Their support wasn’t about running fisheries but empowering those working on the ground to succeed.”
With a growing presence across India’s western and southern coasts, Agro Marine Aggregator is now looking outward. The company is targeting international markets in the UAE, the Middle East, and Europe. The goal is to build a pan-India and global supply chain, rooted in community development but powered by world-class logistics and sustainable practices.
“India’s coastline is a goldmine, but it’s the people, not just the product that we must invest in” Lotulkar emphasised.
Through his work, Lotulkar is doing more than a business. He is building a movement that values community knowledge, adopts modern technology, and creates a lasting economic transformation for those who live by the sea.
From banker to fishery consultant, from Goa to global ambitions, Lotulkar’s journey is a living example of what can happen when grit meets vision and innovation meets empathy.
