The Pakistani government has proposed an action plan worth $10 million to convert the Karachi Fisheries Harbour Authority (KFHA) into a Sydney style Fish Market, reports the Daily Times.
This is planned to increase the country's seafood exports and competitiveness at global level.
According to the newspaper, the Ministry of Finance has asked the Sindh government and other stakeholders to establish a management committee for Karachi Fish Harbour (KFH).
The committee will help in technology and skills transfer, management and financial control system, market knowledge, design, processing and marketing. The proposed company would be structured to deliver a range of activities.
At present financial constraints and poor staffing of the KFHA make the authority ineffective to perform properly. Generally, sources said, the low quality of fish is because of ineffective management of the authority.
The action plan consists of changes to the management structure of the KFHA, physical activities including funding for infrastructure and equipment to improve the quality and value of fish in the cold chain, and value adding by processors. The purpose of all such steps is to increase the value of the existing fishing from the marine fishery of Pakistan.
The cost of the interventions will be split between the federal government, Sindh province and Competitive Support Fund (CSF), a subsidiary body of Ministry of Finance.
