Punjab Shrimp Farming Project
Punjab has kicked off its largest seafood and shrimp farming project to date, aiming to strengthen the province’s blue economy and expand seafood exports. The move comes on the instructions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, following successful pilot runs of AI-powered shrimp farming machinery.
Shrimp Farming Expansion Across 30,000 Acres
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz chaired a high-level meeting where officials presented a detailed briefing on shrimp aquaculture in Punjab. She gave in-principle approval to develop shrimp farming over 30,000 acres across the province, including Bahawalpur.
She also instructed authorities to fast-track technology-based shrimp farming in Sargodha, building on earlier successful trials in Muzaffargarh, and directed that private sector participation be brought in gradually.
Trial Production Already Underway
According to the briefing, trial production of shrimp and tiger shrimp is currently running in the Shah Garh and Ali Wala areas of Muzaffargarh, as well as in Sargodha. So far, around 1,000 shrimp farms covering 5,500 acres have been set up in Punjab, with stocking and production already in progress.
A shrimp farming survey, carried out with support from international experts, has identified 40,000 potential sites suitable for future farms.
Major Infrastructure Coming to Ali Wala
Ali Wala is set to become a key hub for the project:
A hatchery capable of producing 280 million shrimp annually will be built on 5,300 acres, with 737 ponds.
Two processing plants are planned — one with a 10-tonne-per-hour capacity and another handling five tonnes per hour.
Pakistan’s first aquaculture mall will be established at nearby Shah Garh, supplying farmers with seed, feed, and rental machinery.
Pakistan’s first shrimp diagnostic laboratory will also be set up at Ali Wala, covering chemistry, pathology, and microbiology, along with a training hall for farmers.
Sargodha Farm Details
At village 58-NB near Sargodha, shrimp farming will be developed over 500 acres with 167 ponds, expected to produce 280 PL and around 10 million shrimp per year. An aquaculture mall and a processing plant are also planned for the site. Hybrid solar systems will power the farms’ energy needs.
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AI-Powered Machinery Delivering Results
Modern equipment, including automated harvesters and auto-feeders, has already been deployed in Shah Garh, with monitoring technology reportedly achieving 100% accuracy in farm management. Around 100 workers have completed training on these modern farming techniques as part of the pilot phase.
A Regional First for Pakistan
Punjab is now the first province in Pakistan to adopt large-scale, machinery-driven aquaculture, following models used in China, Norway, Indonesia, Vietnam, Denmark, India, and Ecuador. The province has also established its first-ever Aquaculture Authority, marking a major step toward food security.
The project isn’t just about seafood, it’s designed to create jobs for university graduates and local farmers, encouraging youth entrepreneurship in the sector.
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Boosting Exports and Cutting Import Costs
CM Maryam Nawaz said barren land across Punjab will be turned into a shrimp export hub. “Once a proper value chain is in place, Punjab will lead the country’s shrimp exports,” she said, adding that domestic production will save the foreign exchange currently spent on importing shrimp for the local food industry.
The meeting also reviewed progress on the Kahna Fish Market. Officials noted that shrimp farming remains one of the most affordable global protein sources, with several countries generating billions of dollars annually through shrimp exports.