ISLAMABAD: The chief minister of Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province this week launched a plan to establish technology-driven shrimp estates in Muzaffargarh and Sargodha by March 2026 with the expertise of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The project will include hatcheries, aqua malls, processing plants, cold storage facilities, and an integrated transport and logistics chain. Shrimp estates are designated zones for large-scale shrimp farming and processing, designed to cluster the entire value chain in one location to improve efficiency, biosecurity and export capacity.

"Phase-I will establish 5,300 acres of shrimp estates in Muzaffargarh and Sargodha by March 2026, Insha’Allah," Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said in a post on X on Sunday.

"The initiative is built on global R&D, advanced aquaculture technologies and world-class expertise from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Ecuador, Australia and Mexico," she added.

"The project has been formally launched, with machinery already on the ground and dedicated teams working day and night to ensure timely execution."

Sharif said the development followed the successful completion of a 100-acre shrimp pilot and research project last year, highlighting that a feasibility study is underway for an additional 26,000 acres.

Pakistan’s fish and fishery product exports declined in FY 2024, with export value dropping by 17.4 percent to $410 million and quantity decreasing by 6.9 percent to 199,738 metric tons compared to FY 2023, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

The country's 1,046-km coastline along a major trade route remains underutilized, with a maritime economy held back by limited fleets, outdated ports and falling seafood exports.