ISLAMABAD: The 3rd Edition of FoodAg Pakistan 2025 opened with an exceptional response from exhibitors, international buyers, and global trade stakeholders.
More than 370 Pakistani companies from over 20 agro-food subsectors showcased their best products and capabilities, representing agritech, beverages, confectionery, cereals, dairy, dry fruits, floriculture, fresh and frozen produce, honey, maize, meat, oilseeds, poultry, processed foods, rice, salt, seafood, sesame seeds, spices, and tobacco, said a release issues here.
This year’s edition recorded one of the strongest international turnouts to date, with 850+ buyers from over 80 countries.
Leading global groups participated, including Shanxi Zhongwang Food Group, JCOF, CMEC Group, AHCOF NeoChains, Tropical Food Manufacturing, Fuzhou Yufengyuan, Gnanam Group (Sri Lanka), Cargills Ceylon, BERNAS Malaysia, Khaishen Trading, PT Laris Manis Utama Indonesia, Surya Foods UK, Schepens & Co. Belgium, Exotic City, Migros Turkey, SUNAR, along with prominent importers and distributors from the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, East Africa, Europe, North America, and Australia. Their presence reflects the rising confidence in Pakistan’s agricultural, food, and processed-product sectors.
Federal Minister for Commerce Mr. Jam Kamal officially inaugurated the exhibition, accompanied by Chief Executive TDAP Mr. Faiz Ahmad, Secretary TDAP Mr. Sheryar Taj, Former Chief Executive TDAP Mr. Zubair Motiwala, Ambassadors, the Vice President of FPCCI, and distinguished members of the business community and government officials. The senior leadership held high-level meetings with delegations from Qatar, China, Italy, Sri Lanka, and ITC, focusing on strengthening bilateral trade, expanding value-added agri-food production, and addressing market access requirements.
Regulatory authorities from Pakistan also engaged with counterparts from Malaysia’s State Trading Enterprise BERNAS, JAKIM’s Halal Management Division, PT Surveyor Indonesia (BUMN), Pak Trade Mission Sri Lanka, Ministry of Agriculture Ethiopia, Senegal’s Direction de la Protection des Végétaux, Gambia’s Food Safety and Quality Authority, and Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Agriculture and Plant Protection Directorate.
Discussions centered on SPS cooperation, mutual recognition of certifications, and facilitation measures to boost agricultural exports.
These technical engagements are expected to significantly strengthen compliance and enhance Pakistan’s competitiveness in global food supply chains.
Two major side events were conducted on the opening day. A panel discussion on value addition in processed foods brought together industry leaders to explore opportunities for product diversification, competitiveness, and penetration into higher-value global markets.
Additionally, a seminar on MRL and rice aflatoxin addressed regulatory requirements, international testing standards, and mitigation strategies to enhance the quality and export readiness of Pakistani rice.
Early indicators from Day 1 show strong interest in rice, sesame seeds, spices, frozen foods, seafood, fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy ingredients, honey, organic products, and private-label manufacturing. Many international buyers expressed readiness to establish long-term sourcing partnerships and deepen collaboration with Pakistani exporters.
The Global Cuisine Show serves as a practical demonstration of how Pakistani ingredients can integrate into international culinary practices.
A major draw of this year’s Global Cuisine Show is the presence of accomplished international chefs with Michelin recognition, who cooked live using Pakistani ingredients.
Visitors watched masters of French, Italian, Turkish, Thai, Brazilian, Mexican, Azerbaijani, Georgian, and Southeast Asian cuisines turn local basmati rice, mangoes, Himalayan pink salt, spices, seafood, and premium meats into their signature dishes.
These demonstrations do more than celebrate global flavours; they give buyers a real taste of how versatile and high-quality Pakistan’s produce truly is. Alongside chefs and buyers, TDAP has invited a group of international content creators and culinary storytellers to document the event.
These creators, many of whom have large followings across platforms like Instagram and TikTok, captured everything from live cooking moments to behind-the-scenes interactions with local producers.
The 2025 edition, with its broader geographic representation and elevated culinary calibre, is poised to further elevate the country’s standing in global food landscape by combining world class gastronomy with serious trade facilitation, as the Global Cuisine Shows continues to position Pakistan as a reliable, high-quality partner in the international food and agriculture sector.
FoodAg Pakistan 2025 continues to solidify Pakistan’s position as a rising regional hub for food and agriculture trade.
The strong global participation, meaningful government-to-government and business-to-business engagements, and targeted technical discussions signal highly promising outcomes for the expansion of Pakistan’s agri-food exports.
