MUZAFFARGARH: Measures to promote prawn farming were discussed at a workshop which ended in Multan on Wednesday.

The workshop was held under the auspices of the Fisheries Development Board, Ministry of National Food Security and Research. A numbers of fish farmers participated in the workshop where Secretary Agriculture South Punjab Saqib Ali was a special guest.

This project would bring a profit of hundreds of thousands of rupees, said the secretary. He said a subsidy of up to Rs1.2 million would be provided for promotion of prawn farming. He said processing, value addition and marketing facilities would further strengthen the project.

Under the prime minister’s agriculture emergency programme, a national prawn farming initiative is being implemented at a cost of Rs6 billion. A multi-purpose hatchery would be set up on Balochistan coast. A 15-acre demonstration prawn farm would be set up in Punjab and 1,570 prawn farmers would be trained for the promotion and success of this project.

In Muzaffargarh district, a saline aquaculture research centre would be set up. At least 50pc subsidy would be given for farming on 3,500 acre.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2021