Steps taken to boost fisheries, livestock

Sindh Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday said the government had spent Rs 172 million to modernise the Karachi fish harbour in line with EU standards, as an effort to resume the country's seafood exports to the European countries. In his budget speech, Murad said the government had revised policy towards the fisheries industry in rural Sindh to install floating jetties and landing infrastructure at six selected sites in Thatta and Badin districts.
He informed the Sindh Assembly that "work on three sites was undertaken in the last financial year and the next three sites would be completed in the current financial year." He said the Sindh government had issued 10591 welfare cards to fishermen empowering them to catch fish without interference of the middlemen or contractors. He said the government had also provided 1.2 million fish seeds, besides housing facilities to fishermen at Manchar Lake.
Murad Ali Shah said the government had also acquired 20, 000 acres of land along the coast in Thatta and Badin to promote of aquaculture in the province. The land will be given on lease basis in line with government's investor friendly policy, he maintained.
A major initiative in the livestock sector has been the establishment of the Sindh Dairy & Meat Development Company with a seed money of Rs 500 million as an independent, non-profit organisation to work for the uplift of livestock sector through provision of extension services; establishment of micro-credit, micro-enterprises; and research & development. Its target is the small livestock farmer.
Regarding the livestock sector, the finance minister said the government plans to establish a mega project of a model dairy village and meat processing zone in Bhambore, Thatta on over 1300 acres. He said the allocation for this project for the financial year 2011-12 is Rs 1, 000 million. He said the project was being developed as a self-sustaining facility with its infrastructure of milk processing plant, chilling units, feed mills, livestock Mandi, fodder market, slaughter house and meat processing plant, etc. He added that the proposed project would target the local as well export markets for both dairy products and Halal meat.
"The department's future workplan includes setting up of a disease-free zone in eight selected districts, genetic improvement through use of embryo transfer technology, establishment of model veterinary clinics in six districts, upgradation of diagnostic facilities and surveillance and control of all bacterial, parasitic, and zoonotic diseases," Murad added.