Arooj Zulfiqar

Modernized cattle farming practices have the potential to reshape Pakistan’s agri economy, promising a wealth of job opportunities and sizable contribution to the GDP growth. Additional Director of the Department of Livestock and Dairy Development Sialkot Dr. Inam Ali Athar said this while talking to WealthPK. “We can bring about an economic revolution by promoting cattle farming; there are vast possibilities of cattle farming in the country, which can be utilized in every possible way,” he said.

“Cattle breeders can get fat animals with more meat by mating non-breed and low-milking indigenous cows and foreign beef breeds, which will not only result in better milk production but also give quality meat,” he said. According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan (2022-23), the livestock sector has emerged as the largest contributor to agriculture, accounting for approximately 62.68 percent of the agriculture value added and 14.36 percent of the national GDP during FY2023. Animal husbandry is a critical economic activity for rural dwellers in Pakistan. Over 8 million families engaged in livestock production, which accounts for 35 to 40 percent of their income.

Dr Inam said, “We have to give importance to the livestock and agriculture sector in the development projects and ensure provision of development resources according to the share of this sector in the GDP. We need to develop this sector by reducing the cost of production and employing modern technology so that we can get better results.” He said the government was also providing loans to the farmers on easy terms through various financial institutions to purchase animals and livestock.

As part of efforts to increase awareness of cattle farming, farmers' fairs as well as modern literature are now being used to guide the people involved in this industry, Dr Inam added. According to him, Pakistan has the potential to earn billions of dollars through cattle farming if it uses the right strategies in the long run.

Credit: INP-WealthPk