En

Added value of aquatic products

By Cheng XiZhong | China Economic Net Jul 19, 2021

Editor's note: Cheng Xizhong, Visiting Professor at Southwest University of Political Science and Law,Senior Fellow of the Charhar Institute, former Defense Attache in South Asian countries. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of China Economic Net.

 

by Cheng Xizhong

Pakistan’s coastline is about 980 km long, bifurcated in two parts, Sindh Coast and Makran Coast. The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Pakistan covers an area of about 240,000 square kilometers.

The above waters are rich in aquatic products resources, but now Pakistan's aquatic products do not occupy an important position in its export commodities. The important reason is that aquatic products enterprises in Pakistan have not realized the extreme importance of developing the huge potential of added value of aquatic products.

In order to improve the international market competitiveness of aquatic products and earn more foreign exchange, Pakistan should quickly change the pattern of exporting a large number of raw materials of aquatic products and take the road of exporting high-quality aquatic products with high added value.

Aquatic products deep processing industry, with high added value, high-tech content, high market share, high export rate and other characteristics, has a very broad development prospect.

In my point of view, advanced production equipment is the key to improving the technical level of the aquatic products processing industry. Therefore, Pakistan should promote advanced technology and use advanced equipment, and use advanced technology and means to increase the processing depth of aquatic products.

Over the past few years, there have been quite a number of exchange visits in the field of fisheries between China and Pakistan. Chinese enterprises have dispatched delegations to Gwadar and other coastal areas in Pakistan for study, while Pakistani counterparts have visited some coastal cities in China. The two sides are discussing how to further strengthen and deepen cooperation.

Recently, someone told me that a Pakistani friend bought canned aquatic products in a supermarket in Islamabad. He turned around and finally chose canned products imported from China because the packaging was very exquisite. What does this mean? Deep processing is important, and so is packaging.

About the cooperation of deep processing of aquatic products between China and Pakistan, I would like to put forward four points for kind consideration of Pakistani friends:

First, relevant Chinese enterprises transfer advanced equipment and technology to Pakistan.

Second, as the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has now entered the second stage, and a number of special economic zones and special technology zones are under construction, Chinese aquatic products processing enterprises should quickly invest in Pakistan.

Third, China and Pakistan jointly set up deep-processing enterprises of aquatic products in Gwadar and other coastal areas.

Fourth, in the process of China's transfer of technology and equipment to Pakistan, we should pay attention to the gradual localization, so as to help Pakistan develop its own deep processing capacity of aquatic products.

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