Pakistan plans export-oriented shrimp farming industry to boost seafood exports

Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry wants shrimp farming and aquaculture linked into one connected chain, so that the sector can grow into an export industry and lift Pakistan's foreign exchange earnings. Profit by Pakistan Today reported that he spoke at the opening meeting of the Prime Minister's Subcommittee on Aquaculture and Shrimp Value Chain. He argued that production, quality and competitiveness in overseas markets all need coordinated action.

Seafood shipments abroad touched a high of $568 million in FY2025-26, and $62 million of that figure was shrimp. In the first quarter of the present fiscal year, seafood exports totalled $125.4 million. A big share of those sales still comes from wild-caught marine produce, a situation the minister linked to the case for organised, sustainable shrimp farming. He also called for home-grown production of shrimp feed and seed to cut reliance on imports, and floated tax and duty concessions to draw investment.

He stressed that shrimp farms need cheap, uninterrupted power, and backed competitive electricity tariffs plus more solar and hybrid power setups. Shipping more to major buyers in the United States, China and the European Union, he said, depends on meeting rules covering food safety, biosecurity, cold-chain handling, processing and traceability. He told the subcommittee to shift from proposals to firm decisions with set targets and realistic timelines.