ISLAMABAD: A prime minister-appointed subcommittee has set a 120-day deadline to draft a roadmap to expand shrimp farming, add value, and boost exports as part of a broader 24-month implementation and review process.
Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry chaired a meeting of the subcommittee on Aquaculture and Shrimp Value Chain, which convened provincial fisheries officials and relevant federal institutions to develop a coordinated strategy to transform aquaculture into a competitive, export-oriented industry.
The committee will prepare a comprehensive report based on verified data and stakeholder recommendations. The exercise will establish a sector baseline, identify bottlenecks across the value chain, and propose measures to improve production, processing, and export competitiveness.
The subcommittee approved seven technical working groups and a projection and costing cell to prepare 14 reports and export projections, assigning responsibilities to the relevant institutions. It also adopted a common framework for data collection and validation, prioritising challenges, developing reform proposals and monitoring progress.
Subcommittee adopts data framework, 14-day action plan to transform sector
The meeting approved an initial 14-day action plan, directing participating institutions to complete their assigned tasks within the stipulated deadlines.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the fisheries departments of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, as well as the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and the ministries of National Food Security and Research and Maritime Affairs.
Mr Chaudhry said the exercise would identify constraints and develop practical solutions to expand shrimp farming, strengthen value addition and increase exports. The federal government would work with provincial governments and other stakeholders to pool expertise and develop a coordinated approach to harness the country’s potential in shrimp farming.
Sindh’s secretary for livestock and fisheries said a feasibility study was being prepared for a 3,500-acre shrimp farm in the province. He also highlighted the need to address challenges in value addition and traceability.
Meanwhile, Punjab Secretary for Aquaculture and Fisheries Rana Muhammad Saleem Afzal said relevant provincial departments were working to introduce shrimp farming in Punjab. He highlighted that many areas of Punjab were non-cultivable due to high salinity in the underground water, and efforts were underway to establish hatcheries in such areas, he added.
However, he acknowledged that establishing an effective value chain remained a major challenge.
Other participants also presented proposals to improve shrimp processing and value addition, not only for exports but also for local consumption, as shrimps and prawns were in high demand in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was agreed that the next meeting would review the identified bottlenecks and the available baseline data essential for promoting shrimp farming.
Published in Dawn, October 28th, 2026
