ISLAMABAD: In a positive development for Pakistan’s meat exports, Jordan has chosen three slaughterhouses from where it would import bovine, sheep, goat and camel meat.
While making the announcement via his Twitter handle, Adviser to PM for Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood said, “I would like to urge our exporters to take advantage of the opportunities offered by this non-traditional market for meat and to seek other sectors like potato, mango, kinnows and onions to diversify exports from Pakistan.”
According to the notification issued by the Jordan Veterinary and Animal Health Directorate of Ministry of Agriculture on October 25, the selected slaughterhouses include Tata Best Food Limited, The Organic Meat Limited Company and Tazij Meat and Food.
It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan exports 98 per cent of meat to Middle East markets by air wherein the share of beef is 95pc.
It was earlier reported that Pakistan exported 95,991 tonnes worth $333 million meat and meat products in fiscal year 2021 (FY21), an all-time high figure against 83,749 tonnes worth $304m in FY20. However, the average per tonne price (APT) in FY21 remained low at $3,473 as compared to $3,631 in FY20.
Exports have been facing a downward trend from July, 2021. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), exports plunged to 5,889 tonnes totaling $25m in July 2021 from 8,176 tonnes worth $28m in July 2020. The APT price stood at $4,182 in July 2021 versus $3,465 in July 2020.
In August 2021, exports stood at 6,047 tonnes earning the country $25m as compared to 6,798 which earned $23m in the same month in FY20. The APT went up to $4,213 from $3,418 in the period under review.
Pakistan’s meat exports have been struggling to compete with those of African countries, where exporters have been offering competitive prices for shipments to the Middle East markets. However, massive rupee devaluation against the dollar from May till date has provided a breathing space local exporters.
