LAHORE: Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has called for measures to increase Pakistan’s poultry exports, saying the country ranks 11th globally in poultry production but its exports remain limited despite the sector’s considerable potential.
Addressing the International Poultry Expo in Lahore, Aurangzeb said exhibitions of this kind strengthen connections between the business community and investors. He said the government was working to address challenges facing the poultry industry so the country could make better use of the sector’s potential.
According to the finance minister, around 1.5 million families are associated with Pakistan’s poultry industry, which produces approximately 2.5 billion kilogrammes of meat and 28 million eggs annually.
Despite this production capacity, the country’s poultry exports do not exceed $4 million, while the global poultry market is valued at $45 billion.
Aurangzeb said poultry accounts for a limited share of meat exports in Central and South Asia, highlighting the need to expand the sector’s presence in international markets.
He said the development of the poultry industry could help strengthen the national economy and create further opportunities to increase exports. The government, he added, was working to resolve the sector’s problems and encourage business activity.
The finance minister also stressed the need to prevent sales tax evasion across the country, saying the issue required immediate action. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was also monitoring measures aimed at curbing sales tax evasion.
Aurangzeb expressed hope that greater investment, stronger business connections and efforts to promote exports would enable Pakistan to increase its share of the international poultry market.
