ICAR-CIFT Kochi: The Fisheries Technology Institute, Explained

ICAR-CIFT, the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, is a national research institute on Willingdon Island, Kochi, set up on 29 April 1957 and run by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research since 1 October 1967. It works on everything between the fish in the sea and the packet in the shop: fishing gear and boats, processing, packaging, quality testing and food safety. For Kochi's seafood trade it is the lab down the road; for an ordinary resident, it is a place that runs paid training courses and licenses its technologies to local entrepreneurs.

• What is icar cift?
• Where is the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology located?
• What has CIFT actually built?
• Can the public use it?
• CIFT vs CMFRI vs MPEDA
• Is there a fisheries college in Kochi?

What is icar cift?

It is one of ICAR's institutes under the Union Ministry of Agriculture, and describes itself as the only national centre in India where research in all disciplines relating to fishing and fish processing is carried out. It began under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, took its present name in 1962 and moved under ICAR in 1967. Its research is organised into divisions and one section:

• Fishing Technology
• Fish Processing
• Biochemistry and Nutrition
• Quality Assurance and Management
• Microbiology, Fermentation and Biotechnology
• Engineering (a section rather than a full division)
• Extension, Information and Statistics

Where is the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology located?

At CIFT Junction, Willingdon Island, Matsyapuri P.O., Kochi 682029, phone 0484-2412300. That puts it on the man-made island that also holds the port, which our piece on how Willingdon Island was built explains. CIFT also has research centres in Visakhapatnam, Veraval in Gujarat and Navi Mumbai.

What has CIFT actually built?

A sample of work that has left the lab:

Technology	What it does
Turtle Excluder Device	A grid in a trawl net that lets sea turtles escape; CIFT standardised it with MPEDA and the US agency NOAA, and field trials found catch loss negligible
FV Sagar Harita	A 19.75 m fuel-efficient fishing vessel; a CIFT deep-sea vessel design is approved under the PMMSY fisheries scheme
Retort-pouch foods	Fish products processed in retort pouches
Hybrid solar-electric dryer	A 10 kg dryer for fish, fruit and spices
Chitopro	A technology using chitin derivatives from shrimp-shell waste and fish-scale collagen; transferred to Parayil Biofarm, Ernakulam, on 2 November 2026

The institute won ICAR's Sardar Patel Outstanding ICAR Institution Award for 2018, its third after 2000 and 2006. It is also the FSSAI's National Reference Laboratory for fish and fish products, and FSSAI has also recognised it as a National Referral Laboratory.

Can the public use it?

More than most people assume. CIFT's business incubator offers entrepreneurs technical consultancy, infrastructure, help with regulations and training, and can directly incubate nine entrepreneurs. It also runs fee-paying courses open to entrepreneurs, students and self-help groups: one example was a one-day programme on thermal processing (ready-to-eat foods, canning and retort pouches) on 22 September 2026, at Rs 2,360 including tax, with a visit to the pilot plant. Upcoming courses are listed on cift.res.in.

If you are thinking about a small fish-pickle or dried-fish business, a CIFT course is a cheaper first step than buying machinery. Its technology centre lists selling improved products and testing fish, ice and water samples among its aims, but we could not confirm a retail counter or opening hours, so phone before you go. Kochi's wider seafood and food businesses are listed in our Business Directory.

CIFT vs CMFRI vs MPEDA

Three fisheries bodies headquartered in Kochi, three different jobs. CIFT does fishing and processing technology. CMFRI, also under ICAR, studies marine fish stocks and mariculture. MPEDA is a statutory body under the Commerce Ministry that promotes and regulates seafood exports. Kerala's other ICAR institutes include CPCRI at Kasaragod, CTCRI in Thiruvananthapuram and the spices research institute in Kozhikode.

Is there a fisheries college in Kochi?

Yes, but not at CIFT. The College of Fisheries at Panangad, founded in 1979, is now part of KUFOS, the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies, set up in 2010. CIFT trains people through short courses; degrees come from KUFOS.