Arooj Zulfiqar

Pakistan needs to enhance safety standards and remove competitive constraints to increase its market presence and expand its share in the global meat market, Dr. Mansoor Ahmad, former director general of Livestock & Dairy Development Department Punjab, told WealthPK. “Pakistan is endowed with one of the largest livestock populations in the world, holding immense export potential for meat products, but it is yet to be derived. In order to unlock this tremendous potential and move up the global value chain through greater product and market diversification, this sector will need to work collectively to achieve the necessary structural improvements at all stages of the value chain, starting at the farm level,” he said. “Our industry faces challenges concerning animal sourcing, low carcass yields, and prevalence of foot and mouth disease (FMD), which restrict exports to a few geographical destinations.

This high concentration of Pakistan’s export basket in terms of products and markets leaves the industry exposed to the product-and partner-specific shocks. “We need to focus on removing the competitive constraints such as eradication of foot and mouth disease, high costs of sourcing animals, and low yields that otherwise hinder exports,” Dr Mansoor said. “Other concerns such as the lack of traceability of livestock and incapacity of a number of meat processors to comply with quality and food safety requirements, which result in restricted access to the Pakistani meat in the most importing countries, have to be tackled extensively,” he added. He said, “We must stay ahead of the global challenges of environmental responsibility, animal care, production technology, nurturing of our people, and our ongoing battle for market share around the world.

In this regard, the Punjab Livestock & Dairy Development Department has put forth a plan to enhance the export of meat.” According to the information available with WealthPK, in an effort to improve the efficiency of meat exports, Livestock Minister Ibrahim Murad has outlined his vision and dedicated his energies to rejuvenating the meat industry as a crucial export sector. He aims to implement the targeted strategies to elevate meat as a substantial export commodity, bolstering its competitiveness on the global stage. The minister said, “We are committed to enhancing the market presence of Pakistan and elevating its position in the global meat industry by increasing the market share. We strongly believe that by implementing strategic measures and collaborating with key stakeholders, we can achieve this goal and contribute to the growth and development of the country’s economy.”

Credit: INP-WealthPk