Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has launched three shrimp farming estates to convert barren provincial land into productive aquaculture and economic zones.
At the Sargodha Shrimp Estate, excavation of 118 out of 126 ponds has been completed, with embankment construction reaching 92 percent of total planned work.
Boring of 116 tube wells has been finished, and the water supply infrastructure serving the entire estate has also reached ninety-two percent completion overall.
Groundwork for a 2,020-metre road has been completed after clearing and surveying all 365 acres designated for the project’s internal road network.
Warehouse construction stands at ninety percent, while other supporting buildings remain under active construction across the 500-acre Sargodha site.
At the Ali Wala Shrimp Estate, ninety percent of the 1,267-acre site has been cleared, and 642 out of 737 planned ponds have been completed.
The drainage system, including all MDC drain excavation, is ninety-one percent complete, supporting water management across the full estate site.
A 9,000-metre internal road network has been fully surveyed, with earth-filling reaching eighty percent, while all 317 tube wells have been successfully bored.
Core infrastructure including an administration office, hostel, warehouse, and labour residences has been completed and is ready for operational use.
At Shahgarh Shrimp Farm, water supply infrastructure is ninety percent complete, electrification has reached ninety-five percent, and road construction stands at ninety-seven percent.
Shrimp at Shahgarh are receiving 114 kilograms of feed daily, and use of nutritional supplements has produced encouraging results in quality and yield.
Aquaculture experts have confirmed that water temperature conditions across the Shahgarh site are scientifically suitable for commercial shrimp production at scale.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz stated that shrimp farming will position Punjab as a key national hub for aquaculture, supporting both exports and employment.
This is Punjab’s first modern, scientifically managed shrimp farming programme to be undertaken under direct government patronage and institutional oversight.
