Maryam opens country’s largest pilot project for shrimp farming

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz inaugurated Pakistan’s largest pilot project for shrimp farming on Thursday, marking a significant step in the country’s aquaculture industry.

The CM announced various incentives for the shrimp farming project and set a target to expand shrimp farming to 100,000 acres in Punjab. She visited the shrimp farming pilot project in Jhalarin North, a suburban area of Muzaffargarh.

During her visit, she inspected the shrimp ponds, monitored the shrimp and fed them. The CM also conducted an aerial survey of the project and inaugurated the pilot project for adaptive research on shrimp farming. “There is a huge demand for shrimp worldwide and we must capitalise on it,” said the CM.

“Shrimp farming on 100,000 acres can generate up to one billion dollars in foreign exchange, with a potential profit margin of up to 40 percent.”

She said, “The barren lands of south Punjab will be made usable for shrimp farming. Farmers and investors will be offered land and incentives under a minimum lease period. We will also provide seeds, feed and essential equipment for shrimp farming.”

The shrimp farming pilot project, organised by the Punjab Fisheries Department, was completed in a record time of two months. The first harvest from the Jhalari Northern Shrimp Farming Pilot Project is expected in October. For the first time, shrimp farming is utilising a mix of 50% local and 50% foreign feed. The project is expected to produce 100 metric tonnes of shrimp from its initial 100-acre setup. The briefing also highlighted that the project will create employment opportunities for 10,000 to 20,000 people.

Under the leadership of Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, work has commenced to expand shrimp aquaculture to 2,000 acres in Punjab. A target of increasing the shrimp farming area to 4,750 acres has been set, with a vision to boost exports to 50 million dollars within five years and to 150 million dollars within ten years. Additionally, 600 farmers will receive training under the Shrimp Farming Aquaculture Project in Punjab. The project includes the establishment of Punjab’s first Aquaculture Research and Development Centre. Barren land will be utilised for shrimp farming, and machinery and equipment will be made available to farmers on a rental basis.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, while inaugurating six new hybrid double-decker buses for tourism in Lahore, said they will introduce more modern, eco-friendly buses for metropolitan tourism across Punjab.

She was informed that these six new buses will operate on new tourism routes in Lahore. Additionally, one double-decker bus each will be plied in Bahawalpur and Rawalpindi, with plans to extend the service to Multan and Faisalabad as well.

It was noted that the buses are popular among academia, diplomats, state guests, corporate sector, showbiz personalities and the general public for visits to tourist spots. The new tourist bus routes in Lahore will operate from Gadhafi Stadium to various tourist attractions.