Key Takeaways
- PBIF President Mian Zahid Hussain calls for modernizing Pakistan’s fisheries sector.
- Focus on value-added products and sustainable practices to boost exports.
- Current seafood exports stand at $568 million, with China as the largest market.
The Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF) has called for a modern approach to the country’s fisheries and aquaculture sector, urging the government to prioritize sustainable and export-oriented practices.
Mian Zahid Hussain, President of PBIF, emphasized the need for effective coordination between federal and provincial institutions, complete traceability of boats and catches, and world-class certification and food safety regimes.
He highlighted that shifting from exporting raw fish to processed, frozen, and packaged seafood products could significantly expand Pakistan’s market access and open new global opportunities.
Hussain, who is also the president of the All Karachi Industrial Alliance and chairman of the National Business Group Pakistan, stated that the chamber is ready to provide pragmatic proposals to the government based on policy research and private sector experience.
To achieve this, he suggested eliminating outdated practices, establishing a modern cold chain infrastructure, promoting shrimp farming, and complying with global standards.
Despite the abundance of natural resources, Pakistan’s fisheries and aquaculture sector contributes minimally to national exports, with seafood exports standing at $568 million during the last fiscal year, a 38 percent increase over two years.
China remains Pakistan’s largest seafood market, absorbing approximately 59 percent of the total exports. However, the country’s share in the $195 billion global seafood export market is only 0.29 percent.
Hussain noted that Norway and China dominate the market with an approximate 10 percent share each, while Ecuador, Vietnam, Chile, and India also hold significant shares.
Pakistan’s 0.02 percent Cumulative Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from 2016 to 2025 further highlights the sector’s restricted footprint in the global aquatic food market.
The primary hurdles include a weak traceability and certification system, a lack of boat registration and digital records, poor enforcement of food safety and quality standards, and complex licensing procedures.
Declining fish stocks, overfishing, illegal fishing, and the absence of effective quota and stock management systems are also severely compromising the sector’s export potential.
Pakistan must shift from viewing fisheries and aquaculture merely as traditional fishing and instead develop it as a modern, export-oriented, and value-added blue economy.
Mian Zahid Hussain, President of the Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum
