Fisheries development can enhance exports

PCJCCI official suggests using Chinese expertise to develop sector

LAHORE:

Pakistan can make a quantum leap in export promotion of the country by upgrading its marine fisheries sector in collaboration with China.

Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) President S M Naveed said on Saturday that keeping in mind the sea potential of Gwadar and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the marine fishing sector needed an urgent upgrade, for which Chinese methods of fishing and the fish processing technology could be highly useful.

To a question, he suggested bringing Chinese expertise and investment in the fisheries sector in case the government assures hand-holding coupled with favourable policies. To another query, he informed that some Chinese companies had already evinced their interest to enter into joint ventures for making modern boats, sheds, and ice for marine fisheries.

Naveed said that the Chinese way of fisheries development may curb illiteracy among fishermen by transferring modern technology for preserving and processing marine fisheries, which will ultimately bring prosperity to the fishermen by enhancing the competitiveness of our fisheries sector in the world market.

He urged replacing primitive methods with modern techniques by equipping the fishermen with a modern navigation system to discriminate between edible and trash fish, apart from identifying species and size of the different fish.

He added that the fisheries sector and its allied areas were crucial in generating economic activity along the coast of Sindh and Balochistan as they supported livelihood of about one million fishermen and their families.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2020.

Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.