PESHAWAR: Despite having seven out of nine ecological zones of renewable aquatic resources, the diversity of fisheries and aquaculture are always under- utilized in our country.
Talking to this scribe, Omar Hayat Khan, an expert on fisheries and aquaculture, said that the proper utilization of the diversity for local consumption as well for export can earn billions of foreign-exchange for the country.
He said the diversity of ecological zones provides opportunities to produce variety of fish and fish products for local markets as well as exports.
The existing situation is that export earnings from fisheries sub sector is stagnating and the only way to increase the export of fisheries products which are of high demand are shrimp, lobster and marine variety of fishes.
Presently the efforts made by government are a tip of iceberg particularly shrimp farming. We need to boost the production by engaging our expertise working in other countries as they will deliver the services to this particular activity of aquaculture. Iran had excelled in aquaculture and has become the fifth largest producer of fisheries and aquaculture productions internationally.
This has been made possible through bringing changes in curriculum at the University level education and Vocational Training to staff engaged in the relevant sub sector.
We have no dearth of natural resources, educated human resource and knowhow but lack of political will has not provided the desired support to translate it to quality as well as quantitative teems for export.
For example, the issuance of the notification of rules for quality control is being delayed without any justification has resulted in impediment to bring the production of aquaculture fish and fisheries products to international standard.
The notification of regulatory frame work will provide a step forward to bring change in thinking of aquaculture activities throughout the spectrum of supply chain from production to consumer.
We have to change our mind-set and working to produce the aquaculture products to the regulatory requirement of the importing country. If we look as the demand of European Countries such as Germany, France and adjacent counties they demand cold water fished.
These all countries have their own regulatory frameworks for food products. The products should meet the required standard otherwise the consignment is rejected. We have number of buyers in bulk if we produce best quality and big quantity of fish on sustainable basis.
The resource base estimates show that Pakistan has the potential to increase its exports to US$ 2-4 billion per annum from fish and fisheries products.
The basis of this estimates is that fish seed multiplication units are in place and operational and the private sector is ready to play its role in production of fish for local consumption. Similarly, the required work force in fisheries and aquaculture in the country is also available and only needs the support of the Federal Government through Provincial Governments in the country to align the production with monitoring of quality production. The nation has experts in every field but nobody is utilizing their services. The experienced and trained human resource has retired their services should be utilized for advisory purposes for further bring improvement in the sector. Pakistan has experts in academia throughout the country.
In each province a small group of experts should be short listed for providing advisory services on alignment of each type of fisheries such as carp fisheries in Sindh, Punjab and Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, marine and brackish water fisheries Sindh and Baluchistan, cold water fisheries in Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
It is pertinent to mention that Trout Fish fetches US$5 to US$10 per kilogram of value-added products. One container of 20 metric tons will generate foreign exchange of US$ one million at lower rate and on higher rate US$2 million.
The fish processing industry which is underutilized should be fully utilized for value addition of Trout Fish Products translating into enhancement of exports Gilgit Ballistician have more than1500 location from where 15 million tons if translated to value it is US$ 7.5 to 15 million. These are conservative targets under present scenario.
The use of the potentials of only Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu Kashmir potential could easily translate into earning more foreign exchange and local consumption. The income from this produce will benefit the local farmers and strengthen the national economy as well.
New job opportunities will be created by virtue of increase production of fish in the rural economy of the country. The fish feed making utilizes mostly by products of industry by products and thus, the synergies will bring benefit to other industries too.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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