Fisheries reforms are key to boosting seafood exports

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has called for urgent reforms in the fisheries sector, saying reliable energy supply and lower input costs are critical to boosting exports and generating sustainable revenue.

Addressing a meeting, the minister said persistent power shortages and high energy prices are limiting production and eroding the global competitiveness of Pakistan’s seafood exporters.

The remarks came after Assistant Commissioner Fisheries Farhan Khan briefed the participants on the structural gaps and operational challenges faced by the sector.

The minister said uninterrupted power supply, affordable animal feed and efficient power generation are essential to unlock growth and help the fisheries sector to be recognized as an integrated industry.

“Pakistan has abundant raw material, including fish and shrimp, that could support value-added processing,” he added.

Officials told the meeting that more than 100 fish processing units, from small units to large commercial facilities, were operating across the country, supported by about 400 registered exporters.

Most facilities were concentrated in Karachi, with limited infrastructure in Balochistan, while Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab lagged significantly in sectoral development, they added.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) 2022 report, fish and fish products ranked 10th among Pakistan’s top exports in the financial year 2024-25, accounting for 1.34% of total exports worth $3 billion. The sector surpassed exports of fruits and vegetables, pharmaceuticals, sporting goods and surgical instruments.

Globally, fish and fish products are among the most traded food products, reaching approximately 230 countries with a total value of $195 billion in 2022. The average per capita consumption was 20.7 kg and is projected to increase further.

In Pakistan, fisheries contribute about 1% to the gross domestic product (GDP) and 4% to the agricultural sector, providing direct employment to more than one million people and indirect livelihood to about 1.5 million.

During the 2024-25 fiscal year, approximately 300,000 tonnes of fish and fish products were processed, with 30% exported for human consumption, 40% converted into fishmeal for poultry, dairy and aquaculture and the remainder used domestically.

The meeting was told that Pakistani seafood was exported to more than 40 markets, including China, Gulf countries, Southeast Asia, East Asia, the United States and the European Union. By volume, it ranks second among agricultural exports and generates about $500 million a year, although profits fluctuate due to regional competition and price pressures.