A bigger catch, a wider net

Business Recorder · 16/10/2026، 11:52:07 PM

EDITORIAL: Pakistan’s seafood exports have registered an impressive increase in the first quarter of FY2026-27, offering some welcome encouragement at a time when the economy desperately needs stronger export earnings. According to figures released by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, export receipts rose 74.40 percent year-on-year to $125.4 million, compared with $71.9 million in the corresponding period last year. Such growth deserves appreciation, particularly in a sector whose potential has remained under-exploited for far too long. The challenge now is to convert this encouraging performance into sustained expansion through a coordinated strategy for market access, investment, quality assurance and institutional development. The figures also underline the importance of examining what is driving export growth. Shipment volumes reached 61,679 metric tonnes during July-September 2026, compared with 43,995 tonnes a year earlier. This suggests that increased quantities have been an important driver of higher earnings. The next objective should therefore be to secure greater value from each tonne exported through better processing, packaging, product diversification and access to markets willing to pay more for products meeting their requirements. Pakistan’s marine fisheries sector offers considerable opportunities for earning foreign exchange while supporting employment and livelihoods along the coast. Yet exploiting those opportunities requires a far more systematic approach than celebrating periodic increases in export figures. The opening of Russia as a market for Pakistani seafood is a positive development, and the authorities should now pursue additional destinations through sustained commercial diplomacy, technical negotiations and direct engagement with international buyers. Export promotion agencies, trade missions, fisheries regulators and private exporters must work towards clearly defined market-access targets rather than operating in separate administrat