Punjab launches largest-ever seafood, shrimp farming project

On the orders of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the province has launched its largest-ever seafood and shrimp farming project to promote the blue economy and boost exports. This marks the beginning of shrimp infrastructure development in Punjab following successful trials of advanced and AI-operated shrimp farming machinery.

After a shrimp farming survey assisted by foreign experts, 40,000 potential sites were identified, leading to the establishment of a 5,300-acre hatchery at Ali Wala with a capacity of 280 million shrimp annually. Two processing plants with production capacities of 10 and 5 tonnes per hour are also being built at the Ali Wala shrimp farms.

The project includes Pakistan's first state-of-the-art aquaculture mall in Shah Garh, Pakistan's first Aquaculture Authority, and the inclusion of University graduates and local farmers in the shrimp farming initiative. This endeavor aims to create employment opportunities, increase exports, and ensure food security in Punjab. Advanced machinery like harvesters and auto-feeders have already been successfully deployed in the first shrimp farming project at Shah Garh, with modern technology contributing to 100% successful outcomes.

The project also includes hybrid solar energy systems to meet the energy needs of shrimp farming, and a training hall at the aquaculture mall in Ali Wala. The promotion of shrimp farming is expected to transform barren land in Punjab into a hub for shrimp exports, potentially saving valuable foreign exchange currently spent on shrimp imports for the local food industry.