Pakistan’s fish market contributes significantly to the nation’s food security, employment, and economy. Fisheries directly support the nation’s food supply, provide a means of subsistence for those living along the coast, generate revenue from fish exports, and strengthen the economy.
Angling constitutes less than 1% of the GDP in Pakistan, however, it is still quite important for strengthening Pakistan’s economy by giving a sizable number of people jobs living in underdeveloped areas of Balochistan and Sindh and poor societies.
Background of a Fish Market In Pakistan
The fishing industry of Pakistan has its early setback after gaining independence in the year 1947. Specifically, the following initiatives are based on the development of infrastructures, investments, and key areas of expertise. Industrialization was carried out between the 1970s to 1990s, and there was also an enhancement of marine and inland fish production and export markets. Some of these included processing units for fish species, in the coastal cities.
The GAP production increased over time as a result of increasing GAP demand; carp production took the lead on the list. As for the internal factors, approaching ecology and green practices together with better-enhanced gears such as GPS navigation enhanced the efficiency. Present domestic fish consumption has increased, and stores and outlets across markets in the urban regions provide fresh and processor fish meat.
Did You Know?
What is the national fish of Pakistan?
Mahseer is the National fish of Pakistan and is also known as the King of Swat.
Price of Fish in the Pakistani Fish Market
Many different types of fish species from freshwater and marine environments are available in Pakistan’s fish market and also their prices in Pakistani fish market. The following are some of the fish species that are frequently seen in Pakistan’s fish markets:
1. Pomfret
Pomfret is a tender, silver, white-skinned fish characterized by soft meat and quite a bland taste. This fish is considered very valuable because of its taste and is partly found within the coastal areas.
Price Range: PKR 1,200 – 1,800 per kilogram
2. Tuna
Tuna are big fish that swim at a fast pace and are renowned for the muscular texture of their meat. They are rather roaming and occur in the offshore zone.
Price Range: PKR 800 – 1,200 per kilogram
3. Mackerel
Mackerel is a type of fish belonging to the group known as oily fish which is well known for its speed in water and equally rich taste. It has a tasty texture and is characterized by a higher amount of Omega-3 fatty acids.
Price Range: PKR 600 – 1,000 per kilogram
4. Sardines
Sardines are little fish which have a high quantity of oil and a comparatively sharp taste. They are commonly found in coastal waters and are preferred locally because they are considered food fish.
Price Range: PKR 300 – 500 per kilogram
5. Kingfish
Feasibly referred to as king mackerel, kingfish is a big fish and acts as a predator within the water; it has tender, juicy meat. This fish is commonly eaten and often targeted by fishermen as a game fish.
Price Range: PKR 1,000 – 1,500 per kilogram
6. Red snapper
Red snapper has a pinkish-red skin colour with tender white and flaky meat. This fish is popular mostly because of its relatively tender and a bit sweet taste.
Price Range: PKR 800 – 1,400 per kilogram
7. Shrimps
Shrimps and prawns are kinds of seafood that have a sweet conspicuous taste. They are of different sizes and exist in large numbers in both, the marine and the fresh water bodies.
Price Range: PKR 1,000 – 2,500 per kilogram
8. Rohu
Rohu is one of the significant carp fish stated to be firm in texture and mild in flavour. Originally, it lives in river basins in South Asia but the fish is widely commercially grown in ponds.
Price Range: PKR 300 – 600 per kilogram
9. Catla
Catla is yet another member of the carp family known to be a big fish that provides soft and white meat. That is why it is actively bred in the conditions of freshwater ponds.
Price Range: PKR 300 – 600 per kilogram
10. Mrigal Carp
The bottom-dwelling fish popularly known as Mrigal carp is yet another fish with an extra special taste. It is native to rivers and reservoirs of the continental region of Europe, Asia and Northern America.
Price Range: PKR 250-500 per kilogram
11. Tilapia
Tilapia is a very resistant fish that has a rather bland taste along with lean white flesh. This plant is widely cultivated because it grows quickly and can tolerate almost any conditions.
Price Range: PKR 400-700 per kilogram
12. Trout
The cold water streams of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan of northern Pakistan have trout fish.
Price Range: PKR 800-1200 per kilogram
13. Silver carp
Silver carp is a very fast-growing fish, and the meat is slightly oily. This fish is preferably raised in freshwater fish ponds.
Price Range: PKR 250-500 per kilogram
14. Snakehead
Snakehead, usually, is a predatory fish, and its flesh is very firm to the texture and has a saline taste. They occupy such habitats as rivers, lakes, and swamps.
Price Range: PKR 300 – 700 per kilogram
15. Hilsa
Hilsa is an anadromous fish that grows in the body of the sea and migrates to fresh water for spawning and is characterised by high-oil fish and tasty mouth-watering fish. It is anadromous, moving between freshwater and salt water.
Price Range: PKR 1,200 – 2,500 per kilogram
16. Barramundi
Another name for the fish is Asian sea bass, or just simply sea bass, the fish has a buttery taste and is a variable habitat of either freshwater or saltwater.
Price Range: PKR 700 – 1,200 per kilogram
17. Crabs
Different types of crabs there are sweet tender meat from crabs varying types of crabs Much has already been said about crabs that are renowned for their sweet, tender meat. These are frequently located in the coastal region.
Price Range: PKR 600 – 1,200 per kilogram
18. Squid
Squid, strictly speaking, are tender in texture and are likened to have a bland taste. Most are usually associated with marine-dwelling organisms.
Price Range: PKR 500 – 1,000 per kilogram
19. Oysters and Clams
Shellfish or bivalves are characterized by their sea-like salty taste. They are normally located in coastal regions and are commonly used in different people’s diets.
Price Range: PKR 300 – 800 per dozen
Growth of the Pakistani Fish Market
Even though Pakistani fish is produced well and has a sizable worldwide market, the sector’s growth in terms of exports is stagnant and not reaching its full potential. Several reasons behind this growth of the Pakistani fish market remain sluggish. The supply chain and processing problems that are affecting Pakistan’s fish exports are listed below.
- Meeting hygienic requirements is difficult because the factory’s surroundings are poorly maintained. As a result, the import destinations’ usual requirement of HACCP approval is taking a while to materialize.
- The sea does contain high-quality fish, but the export value of such species has decreased due to outdated preservation techniques and inadequate storage space.
- Sanitary measure noncompliance is another significant issue. Until and unless exporters and processors allay the health and safety worries of importing nations, they cannot profit from exports.
- Modern machinery is only available at a small number of exporters’ and processors’ processing units. The majority of processors work very labor-intensively or with conventional techniques.
Conclusion
The fish market in Pakistan is an important sector of the country’s economy and has significant impacts on employment sources of protein and export revenues. The market mainly involves fish species of both marine and freshwater categories and is also exported around the world.
