KARACHI: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research (NFSR) Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan Monday stressed the need for public-private sectors to join hands in order to shape the meat industry in the country.
He stated this while addressing a seminar on the use of innovative technologies for promoting meat exports here and celebrations of launching first consignment of processed meat to Malaysia, said a statement.
He lauded the role of Agricultural Market Development (AMD) Project of USAID for helping to promote Livestock Industry.He also congratulated the Tata Group and other meat exporters for introducing new venture and opening new international markets for export of Pakistani meat.
The Federal Minister said that livestock makes up 56 per cent of the agriculture sector, and is the mainstay of farming communities. The livestock wealth of Pakistan is over 175 million livestock heads. This sector meets the domestic demand of milk, meat and eggs and also provides net source of foreign earnings.
He said that the production of meat is an integral part of the livestock sector value chain for serving both domestic and export market needs thus provides precious foreign exchange. However, the meat exports are confined to a few conventional and low end markets thus captured less than five per cent share of the international halal meat market, he added.
He said that Pakistan’s meat export to the Saudi Arabia, Arab Emirates, GCC and Afghanistan during the year 2015-16 passes over US$ 300 million mark.
Almost similar milestone has been achieved for livestock by-product exports. This sector has much more potential and can fetch a good share from international meat market.
The meat industry of Pakistan is growing rapidly and the professionals with more progressive approach are coming forward the minister said. However, they are facing challenges of quality and competitiveness and standards in local as well as international markets, he added. He said that the major constraints to accessing more of the international markets such as China, Russia, Indonesia and South Africa are primarily related to inability to provide a diversified range of livestock products at competitive prices and international standards.
He said that the reasons of slow progress lied at gross-root level with lack of basic infrastructure, scientific technical and Research and Development support to meat industry. This sector did not receive much attention as that of poultry and dairy sectors, he added.
He pointed out that supply change issues, informal financial transactions and absence of quality meat grading systems, commercial feedlot ventures and technical expertise deprive Pakistan’s meat sector of its true potential.
The support rendered by the USAID-AMD in this regard is highly appreciable and a role model for others to come forward and support this industry.
For the livestock sector specifically, the USAID AMD project is providing grant and technical assistance to feedlots, abattoirs, assembly farms for small ruminants, cold chains and export facilities as well as facilitating access to high potential markets for meat and meat by-products.
He said that through the AMD activity, USAID is providing integrated support to the agriculture sector for upgrading equipment to boost exports, introducing innovative meat cuts and packing technology, streamlining supply chains and ultimately helping make Pakistani producers and exporters meet international food standards and become more competitive and more profitable.
The Minister said that the United States has played significant role for many years to support the development of Pakistan’s livestock sector. The US government is confident that these efforts would help Pakistan emerge as a major player in the international meat market, he added.
On this occasion Member (Animal Sciences) PARC Dr. Shahid Rafique, Former DG of Department of Plant Protection MNFS&R Dr. Mubarik Ahmad, the Chief of Party AMD Project and other speakers also addressed.
The speakers highlighted various innovative technologies to promote Halal meat export, constraints and solution for export, regulatory requirements and meat value chain in Pakistan.
