The Punjab government has granted in-principle approval for a shrimp farming project spanning 30,000 acres across the province, as pilot schemes in Muzaffargarh and Sargodha move into the deployment of advanced machinery and artificial intelligence based technology.
Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting where officials briefed her on ongoing shrimp aquaculture initiatives. The meeting was told that around 5,500 acres have already been developed into 1,000 shrimp farms, where stocking and production have begun.
Officials said a survey conducted with the help of foreign experts identified nearly 40,000 potential sites for shrimp farming across the province. In Shah Garh and Aliwala areas of Muzaffargarh, 737 ponds will be established over 5,300 acres, alongside a hatchery with an annual production capacity of 280 million.
Two processing plants with capacities of 10 tons and 5 tons per hour are planned for the Aliwala shrimp farms. The project also includes first shrimp diagnostic laboratory, offering chemistry, pathology and microbiology facilities. A dedicated aquaculture mall will be set up in Shah Garh to provide farmers with seed, feed and rental access to modern machinery, along with a training hall.
In Sargodha, shrimp farming will be carried out in 167 ponds across 500 acres in the village of 58 NB, with an annual production capacity of 10 million PL. The site will also feature a hatchery, an aquaculture mall and a processing plant, with a hybrid solar energy system proposed to power operations.
Officials said trials of modern machinery, including harvesters and auto feeders, were successfully conducted in Shah Garh, with technology based monitoring reportedly delivering fully accurate results.
Around 100 people have already been trained under the project, which also involves university graduates and local farmers, with a focus on generating employment and boosting shrimp exports.
