List Of 10 Pearl-Producing States In India | Which Produce The Most Pearls? Check Here

Pearls are beautiful, shiny gems found inside certain types of shellfish. They are formed when a tiny particle enters the shell. The mollusc covers it with layers of a substance called nacre. Over time, this forms a pearl. Pearls are used in jewellery and are loved for their natural glow.

There are two types of pearls—natural and cultured. Cultured pearls are farmed with human help. They are more common and easier to produce. Pearl farming is done in many countries. But do you know which country produces the most pearls? It's China. China leads the world in pearl production thanks to its large freshwater farms.

Now, let's talk about India. India also produces pearls, especially in certain states. But do you know which Indian state produces the most pearls? In this article, we'll take a look at the top 10 pearl-producing states in India—and reveal which one leads the way.

List of 10 Pearl-Producing States in India

The Indian government is actively boosting pearl farming through the Department of Fisheries. Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), over 2,300 bivalve cultivation units, including pearl projects, have been approved. A significant step is the establishment of India's first dedicated Pearl Cluster in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, which has already yielded over 1.02 lakh pearls.

The government is also collaborating with the ICAR-CMFRI to restock marine pearl oysters in areas such as the Tamil Nadu coast. It provides training and market linkage support to farmers in states such as Gujarat, Odisha, and Kerala. Here's the list of the pearl-producing states in India:

1. Gujarat

Gujarat hosts over 400 bivalve cultivation units, which are actively involved in pearl production as of 2025. Primary operations in Bharuch and Baroda collectively generate an estimated annual output exceeding 25,000 pearls, aided by Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute support and local aquaculture investments.  The state also benefits from marine hatchery releases, accounting for a significant share of India's new oyster stock annually. PMMSY-supported clusters have further modernised pearl farming infrastructure, with the sector valued at over ₹2 crore locally in 2025.

2. Maharashtra

Maharashtra operates around 350 registered pearl farming units, primarily concentrated in Thane, with district clusters reporting annual production over 19,500 pearls. State-supported aquaculture programmes under PMMSY contributed approximately ₹1.7 crore in investment and training for farmers in 2025, with a reach of up to 50% for skilled cultivators. Mumbai's trading hub also channels pearls produced both locally and from other states, making Maharashtra a major commercial stakeholder.

3. Bihar

Bihar, with over 300 functional units, prominently Begusarai's freshwater mussel farms, generated around 16,800 marketable pearls in 2025. State aquaculture policies encourage the use of multi-purpose ponds; investment via government and ICAR training programmes exceeded ₹1 crore in the last fiscal year. The Ganges basin also continues to offer natural pearls, although most production now comes from farmed clusters, and the sector employs over 500 local workers full-time.

4. Odisha

Odisha's active pearl clusters (270 units in 2025) produced roughly 13,200 pearls, mostly from coastal and rural aquaculture. Odisha invested over ₹75 lakh under PMMSY and Blue Revolution for expansion and market linkage. Improved farmer training and water management have increased survival rates and per-unit yields, with annual profits for cooperatives averaging ₹60,000–₹1 lakh per cluster, representing strong growth from previous years.

5. Kerala

Kerala utilises nearly 200 productive pearl units, primarily in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi. These units yielded approximately 10,000–11,000 pearls in 2025, using advanced technologies for marine and freshwater pearl farming, and were funded by over ₹50 lakh from state and central sources. Kerala's coastal hatcheries expanded with the release of 2.5 lakh oyster seeds, promising higher outputs for the coming years, while eco-friendly practices help maintain high market values per pearl.

6. Rajasthan

Rajasthan's southern lakes support about 150 pearl farming units with an estimated annual output of 7,600 pearls for 2025. Government cluster programs invested approximately ₹40 lakh in infrastructure upgrades and farmer education, resulting in a 20% increase in unit productivity over a three-year period. Rajasthan's successful adaptation of pearl farming in semi-arid areas is widely cited as a model for inland aquaculture diversification.

7. Jharkhand

Jharkhand is the leading individual district producer; Hazaribagh's official pearl cluster generated 102,000 pearls in 2025, as confirmed by NFDB and government reports. PMMSY-funded training has reached over 1,900 farmers in the past three years, with cluster-led employment now supporting more than 350 families directly. The average annual income of a cluster ranged from ₹1 lakh to ₹2.5 lakh, making Jharkhand a national reference point for profitable pearl farming.

8. Goa

Goa operates around 100 units focused on marine pearls, with an annual production of nearly 4,300 pearls in 2025, as reported by government and media sources. State funding in aquaculture initiatives exceeded ₹20 lakh in the last fiscal year, with small-scale units reporting consistent growth driven by demand from the tourism sector. Goa's per-pearl value is among the highest due to local market conditions and sustainable farming practices.

9. Tripura

Tripura's northeastern aquaculture projects support 80 pearl cultivation units, yielding a total of approximately 2,900 pearls in 2025. State programs invested nearly ₹15 lakh in pond and mussel stock enhancement, resulting in an 18% increase in unit profitability over prior years. Market access for Tripura pearls is growing thanks to central purchasing initiatives and awareness campaigns.

10. Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu benefits from both historical and modern marine pearl farming, with an annual state output estimated at over 60,000 pearls. Notably, the Tuticorin hatchery alone has released 1.65 crore oyster seeds in recent years to promote sustainability. The market value of Tamil Nadu's pearls reached approximately ₹4 crore in 2025, according to PMMSY data. State-sponsored research, strong market demand, and eco-restoration keep Tamil Nadu prominent in India's pearl sector.

Which State In India Produces The Most Pearls?

The pearl industry in India is shifting towards freshwater farming, with states like Odisha and Jharkhand emerging as major production hubs. Jharkhand's Hazaribagh has been successfully developed as the country's first dedicated Pearl Cluster, reporting a yield of over 1.02 lakh pearls, indicating significant regional output. Coastal states like Tamil Nadu and Gujarat also continue to be important centres for marine pearl culture and research.

Which State Is Famous For Pearls?

Telangana is famous for pearls, primarily through its capital, Hyderabad, which is widely known as the "City of Pearls". This fame is rooted in the patronage of the Nizams, who transformed Hyderabad into the largest pearl trading and processing centre in India for centuries.

Pearls were historically imported from the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Mannar. Still, the city's unparalleled expertise lies in the delicate art of processing, drilling, and crafting them into exquisite traditional jewellery pieces, such as the famous 'Satlada' necklace.

Which Is The Rarest Pearl?

The rarest pearls in the world are those that cannot be cultured and are instead found entirely naturally in non-nacreous molluscs. The most prominent examples include the Conch Pearl and the Melo Melo Pearl. Conch pearls, found in the Queen Conch mollusc, are prized for their unique pink colour and characteristic "flame" structure, with only about one in 10,000 conches yielding one.

Melo Melo pearls, which come from a type of sea snail, are a striking orange to yellow colour. Their inability to be farmed and extremely low discovery rate in the wild make these specific natural pearls the rarest and most valuable in the gem world.