Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has warned that persistent electricity shortages and high energy prices are severely constraining Pakistan’s seafood industry, eroding its global competitiveness and hindering its potential to boost exports.
According to an official information on Friday, the minister at a meeting called for urgent reforms, emphasising that a reliable energy supply and lower input costs are critical for generating sustainable revenue from the fisheries sector.
The minister”s remarks came after a briefing by Assistant Fisheries Commissioner Farahan Khan on the structural gaps and operational challenges confronting the sector. Mr Chaudhry stressed that essentials such as uninterrupted power, affordable feed, and efficient power generation are required to unlock growth and help the sector achieve recognition as a fully-fledged industry.
“Pakistan has abundant raw material, including fish, shrimp, crabs, lobsters, squid, cuttlefish and bivalves, which could support value-added processing,” he added.
Officials informed the meeting that while the country has over 100 fish processing plants and approximately 400 registered exporters, the infrastructure is heavily concentrated. Most facilities are located in Karachi, with limited development in Balochistan, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab lag significantly behind.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation’s 2022 report, fish and related preparations ranked as Pakistan’s 10th largest export commodity in the 2024-25 fiscal year, accounting for 1.34% of total exports valued at $32.04 billion. The sector outperformed shipments of fruits, vegetables, pharmaceuticals, and sports goods.
Annually, the industry generates around $500 million, though earnings fluctuate due to regional competition. Pakistani seafood is supplied to more than 40 markets, including China, the Gulf states, Southeast Asia, the United States, and the European Union.
Nationally, fisheries contribute about 1% to the gross domestic product and 4% to the agriculture sector. The industry provides direct employment to over one million people and supports the indirect livelihoods of an additional 1.5 million individuals.
During the 2024-25 fiscal year, approximately 300,000 tonnes of fish and fish products were processed. Of this amount, 30% was exported for human consumption, 40% was converted into fish meal for other industries, and the remainder was consumed domestically.
Globally, fish products are among the most traded food commodities, with a total value reaching $195 billion in 2022. The FAO notes that average global per capita consumption stood at 20.7 kilograms and is projected to rise further.