Shrimp output tops expectations

In a bid to tap into a billion dollar industry, the Punjab government, on instructions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, successfully advances with a pilot project of shrimp farming on 100 acres of land with hopes of expanding the scope of the initiative to 100,000 acres or more under the public- private partnership model in the coming few years.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Thursday visited Muzaffargarh to inspect the shrimp farming pilot project's progress while nearing its first harvest. With 70 per cent survival rate of the shrimp and weight of produce in some ponds exceeding expectations, the future of the project appeared promising.

Though the project was first conceived during chief minister Usman Buzdar's reign in 2022 and even initial pilot projects were executed, according to senior government officers-, it could not take off, for one reason or the other.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, with a renewed vision, embarked on the project to turn barren land of South Punjab into an economic oasis.

As per figures shared during a presentation to the CM in Muzaffargarh, one acre of land is expected to turn out a profit of Rs550,000 per harvest and if exported, is expected to bring $5,000. Going by the presentation, the expected saving of Rs550,000, however, does not include the land and machinery cost as it was said that the value of the barren land is nominal and the machinery acquisition is a onetime expenditure.

The chief minister said on the occasion that the aim of the pilot project was to determine the feasibility and viability of the scheme.

She credited the success of the project to Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, stating that starting it from scratch with no feed, no seed, no expertise, no hatcheries and no consultants was no small feat.

She said the authorities concerned had finally created an end-to-end supply chain and along the way also trained master trainers.

The chief minister said that in early stages of harvest, the shrimp does not survive, however the project has shown more than satisfactory results, with the weight exceeding expectations.

She said shrimp farming was a burgeoning industry with marketing expanding by the day.

Citing the success stories of Ecuador and Vietnam, she said that the country could perform as well.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said shrimp farming utilised uncultivable land.

She said Punjab had a large area of barren land, which exhibited the huge potential for the industry. She instruct the senior minister set a target of shrimp farming on 100,000 acres.