Waterbase Strengthens Its Aquaculture Leadership with an Integrated Shrimp Value Chain
NEW DELHI (India CSR): At the 38th Annual General Meeting of The Waterbase Limited, held on September 25, 2025, Chairman Varun Aditya Thapar addressed stakeholders with a forward-looking message that reflected both pride in the company’s legacy and optimism for the future. As a part of the diversified Karam Chand Thapar (KCT) Group, founded in 1929, Waterbase continues to build upon its heritage of excellence across sectors like coal, infrastructure, real estate, and aquaculture. “Our journey over the past year has been guided by a deep-seated belief that progress is not about waiting for perfect conditions, but about continuously navigating forward,” said Thapar, framing the company’s FY 2024–25 theme, “On the Move,” as a philosophy of agility and resilience.
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Navigating Challenges with Resilience and Vision
Reflecting on the year’s performance, in messages to stakeholders in the report, Chairman Varun Aditya Thaparr emphasized that progress seldom follows a straight path—it is built through courage, flexibility, and steadfastness amid shifting environments. “Like nature’s great rivers and ceaseless ocean currents, our steady state is one of continual motion,” he noted, stressing the importance of adaptability in today’s volatile global markets. The company’s ability to remain “on the move,” he said, has enabled Waterbase to sustain growth even amidst regulatory shifts and global headwinds affecting the aquaculture industry.
Waterbase’s integrated aquaculture model continues to serve as its cornerstone, creating value across the entire shrimp value chain—from advanced hatchery operations to feed manufacturing, farm-care products, processing, and exports. “Each link in this chain is an asset for the next and the reason for our enduring customer trust,” Thapar stated. This synergy, he said, forms Waterbase’s “living competitive advantage,” allowing it to swiftly adapt to dynamic market conditions while maintaining quality, traceability, and sustainability.
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Global Transformation and Strategic Positioning
The Chairman provided an insightful perspective on the evolving global aquaculture sector, noting that growth in sustainable protein demand has transformed industry dynamics. Technological advancements in artificial intelligence, precision farming, and real-time monitoring have revolutionized production capabilities but also intensified global competition. “While these changes create new efficiencies and opportunities, they also raise the bar for competitiveness in price, quality, and supply reliability,” Thapar observed.
He also addressed recent trade challenges, including the U.S. seafood tariffs affecting shrimp exporters. “These measures have introduced complexities requiring companies to recalibrate strategies to safeguard competitiveness,” he said. Despite such headwinds, Thapar emphasized that the overall seafood and aquafeed markets remain vibrant, with aquaculture production now surpassing traditional fisheries. The sector’s vitality, he suggested, continues to offer immense opportunities for strategic growth and resilience.
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Financial Discipline and Segmental Strength
Thapar credited Waterbase’s financial discipline and prudent resource allocation for its continued strength. “It is by being intentional in our investments and operational decisions that we have ensured the robustness of our asset base,” he said. For FY 2024–25, the company reported a total income of Rs. 28,293 lakh, with Shrimp Feed contributing Rs. 13,442 lakh and Processed Shrimp Rs. 13,390 lakh, highlighting a well-balanced revenue mix. “This diversified composition reflects our model’s stability and strategic capacity to maneuver in times of complexity,” he remarked.
The Chairman underlined how segmental synergy has helped the company absorb volatility and capture emerging opportunities. “Shrimp Feeds and Processed Shrimp allow us to buffer adverse trends in one area and capitalize on surging demand in another,” Thapar explained. This integration has strengthened Waterbase’s organizational learning and enabled swift adaptation to changing market realities.
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Future Roadmap: Innovation, Empowerment, and Sustainability
Looking ahead, Thapar expressed confidence in Waterbase’s growth trajectory. “The signals from our key markets are encouraging, and broader growth in global seafood and aquafeed markets bodes well for sustainable protein alternatives,” he said. The company’s ambitious roadmap includes capacity expansion, digital integration, and greater empowerment for its farmer network through direct engagement and training. Sustainability, traceability, and consumer-centric product design will continue to anchor Waterbase’s global competitiveness.
Thapar reaffirmed that Waterbase’s progress is built on its people—employees, farmers, customers, and shareholders—whose commitment forms the foundation of its success. “True and sustained progress is built not on assets or statistics, but on the spirit of people,” he said, acknowledging their “unwavering belief and shared endeavour.”
Concluding his message, Thapar reiterated that “On the Move” is more than a theme—it is the company’s guiding ethic. “Our resolve to create a sustainable, transparent, and future-ready enterprise is stronger than ever,” he affirmed. “Every initiative pursued, every relationship deepened, and every innovation embraced moves Waterbase closer to the lasting vision we have set—a company trusted locally and globally, delivering responsible and enduring value for all stakeholders.”
(India CSR)
