Govt promoting climate-resilient shrimp farming

Rs6b set aside under agri-emergency programme for support

MULTAN:

The Fisheries Development Board (FDB) is working to promote climate-resilient shrimp farming across the country, under the national agriculture emergency programme, revealed FDB Director Training Dr Imdadullah Salar.

In an interview with APP on Tuesday, he pointed out that facilities like a shrimp hatchery, research centre, shrimp farm, shrimp processing plant, feed mill and subsidy would be provided to shrimp farmers across the country under the programme.

FDB works under the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.

Talking about funds, Salar pointed out that around Rs6 billion had been kept under the prime minister’s national agriculture emergency programme for the promotion of shrimp farming.

“Efforts are underway to promote profit-generating shrimp farming in collaboration with the fisheries departments of provinces,” he highlighted.

He underlined that the FDB had set a target of 35,000 acres of land for shrimp farming in the country.

He was of the view that saline soil was important for shrimp farming and the country had abundance of such soil “where nothing could be cultivated”.

About profit margins, he maintained that it could offer 100% profit on total investment.

Salar underlined that a mega hatchery would be established along the Balochistan coastline, which would generate 250 million seeds annually.

Regarding shrimp seeds, he revealed that Pakistan was importing shrimp seeds from Thailand, as there was no hatchery available in the country. “The price of imported seed is around Rs8 per piece,” he said.

However, with the establishment of the hatchery next year, “the shrimp seed will be available for just Re1”, he added.

A research centre was also being established in Muzaffargarh. Equipped with modern facilities, the centre would offer technical assistance to farmers, he said.

Salar highlighted that a shrimp farm was being established over an area of 15 acres in Pind Dadan Khan, a city in Punjab.

“Work on a modern feed mill and processing plant for value addition is also in progress under the mega initiative,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2021.

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