Raza Khan

Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) of livestock in Pakistan is a major hurdle to enhancing meat export, reports WealthPK. In its report Pakistan Meat Export Strategy 2023-27, the Ministry of Commerce says Pakistan has the potential to export $1 billion worth of meat annually. However, FMD is a roadblock. The ministry has urged all the relevant departments to take measures for controlling the disease by using modern techniques for raising livestock.

“Establishment of FMD Free Zones for animals and mass vaccination by the relevant departments of the provinces is required to overcome the disease,” the report recommends. This will require constant surveillance to identify animals that test positive, and keep outside animals from joining the herd inside the zone.

“Punjab has the most potential since it boasts the biggest chunk of domestic cattle population,” says the ministry. Pakistani meat exporters must adapt to a number of global market trends that take on increasing importance when attempting to capture the market share, the report suggests.

The report emphasises focuses on three strategic themes of raw material supply, quality of livestock and market access. Syed Hassan Raza, Secretary General All Pakistan Meat Exporters and Processors Association (APMEPA), said Pakistan has some of the finest livestock breeds, but they need to be raised according to world standards.

“Making the country’s livestock FMD-free is a difficult task. To achieve this, it is vital to develop FMD-free zones”, Raza said. He suggested that the government should seek technical assistance from other countries which have developed and organised livestock and meat sectors.

“Experts should be invited from abroad to train local officials of livestock departments and farmers in raising the cattle by using the modern methods,” Raza said, adding that export can only be enhanced by ensuring international standards. He believed that Pakistan is facing challenges regarding animal sourcing, low carcass yields, and lack of invest which limits exports to a few geographical destinations.

“Meat export, like all other export businesses, is a value-added chain that includes production, processing and marketing. We need to focus on all three areas,” Raza said. He further said that the farm management practices need to be improved for quality production, better breeding and nutrition of animals. “Once it is done, it should give the Pakistani exporters an edge in the world market,” the APMEPA’s secretary general said.

According to the ministry, Pakistan produced at least 5.2 million tonnes of meat in 2021-22; however, only 2% of the total production could be exported. Exports of meat and edible offal were worth $352.7 million during the last fiscal year against $338.1 million in the preceding year (2020-21).

There are 34 registered slaughterhouses in Pakistan that have been allowed by the Animal Quarantine Department to export meat. These production units are preparing beef, mutton and poultry meat, said the commerce ministry. According to the International Trade Centre (ITC) trade map, China, the USA, Japan, Germany and the Republic of Korea were the top five meat markets in 2021.

The USA, Brazil, Australia, Netherlands, Spain and Canada were the top five meat exporting countries during the same year. The size of the global meat market is $52 billion. According to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Pakistan is one of the largest meat producers in the world and has all the potential to become a major supplier of red meat in the international market, given its existing agrarian base.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk