The Punjab government plans to bolster the livestock sector to boost beef and milk exports. Chief Minister Maryan Nawaz, eager to enhance the beef and milk exports to China and other countries, chaired a meeting recently and directed the livestock officials to take immediate steps. Dr Muhammad Akbar, a former livestock officer, told WealthPK that the livestock sector could become a key source of foreign exchange earnings for Pakistan. He said like the textile industry, the livestock sector also held tremendous potential to create jobs, boost businesses and fetch foreign exchange. "The livestock sector currently contributes 14.36% to the GDP," he said, adding the Punjab province alone produced 62% of the country's milk, 65% of poultry meat, 43% of beef and 33% of mutton. He said that China annually imported meat and milk worth billions of dollars, suggesting its market potential. He said farmers were still employing decades-old methods to nurture animals, and they would have to turn to modern approaches to enhance productivity.

"Keeping the livestock sector's export potential in view, the government must establish modern farms in different districts to attract investors. By establishing state-of-the-art farms, production of milk and beef can be increased manifold," Akbar suggested. He said the chief minister had asked the officials to prepare accurate data of cattle and give special attention to research and development. He said cattle diseases were still rampant in rural areas, requiring the availability of veterinary doctors there. He said the chief minister had also stressed the need to improve disease control measures. Akbar said the upgradation of the vaccination production labs required millions of rupees in funds and the chief minister had been requested for that. Rauf Ahmed, a butcher, who has a shop on Sargodha Road, Faisalabad, told WealthPK that getting healthy animals was difficult. He said livestock officials failed to address complaints of consumers regarding butchers watering meat to increase weight, thus compromising its quality and playing with their health.

He said livestock department officials were turning a blind eye to the sale of substandard meat in bazaars. Baba Jana, a livestock farmer, told WealthPK that foot and mouth disease killed hundreds of cattle every year. However, he said no effective measures had been taken to control the disease. He said farmers suffered financially as their cattle died each year due to the disease. "An effective vaccination of cattle can help control the foot and mouth disease. The vaccine becomes so costly whenever the disease breaks out as the profiteers exploit the poor farmers," he complained. He said the government must ensure the availability of proper feed and vaccination of animals as demand for milk and beef was increasing rapidly. He said farmers couldn't boost the sector alone. He suggested that the government must introduce a mechanism to enhance the production of dairy products to increase exports.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan