ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s seafood exports have witnessed an increase of 74.75 percent in quantity and 74.40 percent in value during the first quarter (July to September) of the current fiscal year (FY) 2026-27, according to seafood export data shared by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs on Monday.
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said that Pakistan’s fish and seafood exports rose by 74.40 percent in value during the first quarter of the current fiscal year, reaching USD 125.4 million against USD 71.9 million during the same period of last fiscal year.
The minister said the sector’s exports increased in both value and quantity, underscoring the marine fisheries sector’s growing economic potential as Pakistan seeks to expand its blue economy.
Junaid Chaudhry noted that export volume also rose by 74.8 percent over the three years, increasing from 35,294 metric tonnes (MT) in the first quarter of 2024-25 to 61,679MT in the same quarter of 2026-27.
The minister said exports increased from 35,294MT in Q1 2024-25 to 43,995MT in Q1 2025-26 and reached 61,679MT in Q1 2026-27.
He said the fisheries sector was an important component of Pakistan’s coastal economy, providing livelihoods to fishing communities while generating foreign exchange through exports of fish and other marine products.
Chaudhry appreciated the performance of the Marine Fisheries Department, particularly its record export earnings of USD 568 million during FY2025-26. He said the opening of new international markets, particularly Russia, for Pakistani fisheries products was another significant achievement.
He said recent initiatives to resume shrimp exports to the United States, along with the revival of the fishing licensing regime in Pakistan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), would help promote the sustainable utilisation of the country’s marine fisheries resources. The minister stressed the need to address institutional, technical and capacity-related bottlenecks to enhance fish and seafood exports to lucrative international seafood markets, particularly the European Union.
He also called for the revival and restoration of the Fisheries Training Centre (FTC) of the Marine Fisheries Department to strengthen human-resource capacity, improve technical and professional standards, and enhance compliance with international fisheries and seafood safety requirements.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
Comments