LAHORE: On the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the province’s largest-ever seafood and shrimp farming project has been launched to promote the blue economy and boost exports.
The initiative marks the beginning of shrimp infrastructure development in Punjab following successful trials of state-of-the-art and AI-operated machinery for shrimp farming.
A shrimp farming survey has been completed with the assistance of foreign experts, resulting in the identification of 40,000 potential sites.
A hatchery with an annual production capacity of 280 million shrimp will be established over 5,300 acres at Ali Wala, comprising 737 ponds. A processing plant with a production capacity of 10 tonnes per hour and another with a capacity of five tonnes per hour will also be established at the Ali Wala shrimp farms.
Pakistan’s first state-of-the-art aquaculture mall will be established at Shah Garh. Punjab is the first province in Pakistan where aquaculture is being promoted through state-of-the-art machinery on the models of China, Norway, Indonesia, Vietnam, Denmark, India and Ecuador.
The establishment of Punjab’s first Aquaculture Authority marks a new milestone in ensuring food security in the province. University graduates and local farmers are also being included in Punjab’s first shrimp farming project.
The promotion of shrimp farming will create opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship for young people while also helping increase exports.
In a special meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, a detailed briefing was given on shrimp aquaculture.
The chief minister accorded in-principle approval for preparing a plan for shrimp farming over 30,000 acres across Punjab, including Bahawalpur.
She directed the authorities to expedite the launch of technology-based shrimp farming in Sargodha following successful trials in Muzaffargarh and ordered the phased inclusion of the private sector in the shrimp farming project.
The meeting was informed that trial production of shrimp and tiger shrimp was under way in Shah Garh and Ali Wala areas of Muzaffargarh as well as in Sargodha. A total of 1,000 shrimp farms spread over 5,500 acres have been prepared in Punjab, while shrimp stocking and production have already commenced.
The briefing further revealed that the aquaculture mall would provide shrimp farmers with essential inputs, including seed and feed. Rental machinery would also be made available to farmers along with seed and feed.
Pakistan’s first shrimp diagnostic laboratory would be established at Ali Wala, comprising chemistry, pathology and microbiology sections. A training hall would also be constructed at the aquaculture mall in Ali Wala.
At village 58-NB on the outskirts of Sargodha, shrimp farming would be carried out over 500 acres comprising 167 ponds. The Sargodha shrimp farm would have a capacity of producing 280 PL and 10 million shrimp annually. An aquaculture mall and a processing plant would also be established in Sargodha.
Hybrid solar energy systems would be installed to meet the energy requirements of shrimp farming.
The briefing was informed that advanced machinery, including harvesters and auto-feeders, had been successfully deployed for shrimp farming in Shah Garh near Muzaffargarh. The use of modern technology for monitoring the shrimp farming process had produced 100 per cent results. In the first shrimp farming project at Shah Garh, 100 people had already completed training on modern farming techniques.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said barren land in Punjab would be transformed into a hub for shrimp exports.
“Once a value chain is established in Punjab, the province will lead shrimp exports,” she said.
She said valuable foreign exchange currently being spent on shrimp imports for the local food industry would be saved through domestic production.
The meeting was also given a detailed briefing on the Kahna Fish Market.
Shrimp farming is one of the major and relatively inexpensive sources of protein worldwide, while several countries earn billions of dollars through shrimp exports. A hatchery with an annual production capacity of 280 million shrimp will be established at Ali Wala.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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