LAHORE: The Punjab government has announced plans to build six aqua business hubs across the province, a private TV report said.
The hubs will feature modern fish hatcheries, feed chains, processing units, and cold storage facilities. They will be set up in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Wazirabad, Sheikhupura, and Khanewal.
Each hub will cost around Rs 5 billion, with construction planned in phases over the next two years.
The hubs will also include value-added units, research and training centers, and water tourism zones.
The fisheries department said over 16 species of fish can be farmed in Punjab’s environment. The projects will be included in the provincial budget on the orders of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.
In a related development, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif recently visited the headquarters and plant of Japanese dairy company Morinaga. She reviewed its various departments and invited the company to invest further in Punjab’s dairy sector.
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She said Morinaga has been offered projects for local production of baby food, bakery products, and export-quality meat. The chief minister also agreed to use modern Japanese machinery and methods for breeding healthy animals to improve meat quality.
She added that Morinaga’s experience would serve as a model for developing Punjab’s dairy sector and assured all facilities would be provided to the company. Highlighting Punjab’s potential, she said Japanese companies are welcome to invest in dairy development and advanced protein networks.
The CM noted that Pakistan is the fourth largest milk producer, with Punjab contributing 60 percent. Morinaga’s investment in Sheikhupura is an example of successful partnership between Punjab and Japan.
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