Shrimp farming project receives mixed reviews
The shrimp farming pilot project, initiated by the Punjab government, has successfully completed its first phase, with the experimental produce of two kilograms sent from Muzaffargarh to Karachi for export. As the executors of the project laud the success of the new endeavour, critics express their skepticism over the long-term feasibility of the initiative, which costs a whopping Rs8.5 billion.
Mian Ghulam Qadir, Deputy Director of Punjab Fisheries, associated with this project, told The Express Tribune that a pilot project of shrimp farming was launched in June and July this year on an area of 100 acres. “Our target was to harvest 1000 kilograms of shrimp from one acre. Luckily, we have achieved twenty times the production target. For regular shrimp farming, farmers have been allotted 4,750 acres of land and each farmer will be given a subsidy of up to Rs4 million per acre,” revealed Qadir.
On the other hand, critics have argued that the demand for shrimps and prawns in the local market is negligible while their seed can only be cultivated in sea water, which was unavailable in Punjab. “No reliable hatchery for shrimp seed has been set up in Punjab yet and the seed has to be imported from abroad. There is also no provision of quarantine for exports, and without quarantine and health checking no country will accept the shrimps,” explained Dr Muhammad Ayub, Former Director General of Punjab Fisheries, who further believed that all these factors would impact the supply line for export.
While conceding to Dr Ayub’s claims, Mian Ghulam Qadir, confirmed that at present there was no hatchery for shrimp farming in Punjab where seeds could be obtained from the mating of male and female shrimps. “However, our plan includes setting up a hatchery. Initially, we will order sea water through containers and will prepare the seeds before giving them to the farmers. Farmers will need only brackish water, not seawater, for shrimp farming, which is available. A shrimp processing unit will also be set up in Punjab very soon,” said Qadir.
On the other hand, Imran Muneeb Lashari, the Former Vice-Chairman of the Pakistan Fisheries Exporter Association, told The Express Tribune that there is enough local demand in the countries where shrimp farming is currently taking place. “Furthermore, export of shrimp from Pakistan is banned in many countries like the Saudi Arabia and USA. Only companies registered in the European Union can export shrimp from Pakistan, that too from three to four registered companies only” said Lashari, who felt that the government should play its part in lifting the ban on shrimp export.
“The current size of the international shrimp market is 40 billion US dollars per year while Pakistan earns about 80 million US dollars in annual foreign exchange from shrimp exports,” said Dr Waqar Ahmed, Associate Professor at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad.
Commenting on the matter, Mian Saeed Farid, Vice Chairman at the Pakistan Fisheries Exporter Association assured that the health and quality of the shrimps and prawns will be checked and export permission will also be obtained. “The Punjab government will register shrimp farmers and only those registered will be able to sell shrimp in the market. So far, only the Fisheries Department of Punjab is registered. Farmers will sell shrimp through an open auction in Karachi,” said Farid.