LAHORE: Pakistan’s meat exports have risen from $14 million in 2003 to $240 million last year but the figure can still multiply very quickly if the country can respond to sensitivities of international buyers by raising its production and supply chain standards, said regional head of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Sher Afgan.

He was addressing the inaugural session of Pakistan Meat Festival, mainly sponsored by the USAID, here on Tuesday. The world meat market values around $3 trillion, out of which Halal meat market amounts to nearly $600 billion. The figures represent the potential that Pakistan can strive for.

“The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) is making concerted efforts to introduce non-traditional products like Halal meat, fruits and vegetables to different parts of the world. It fully supports the USAID Agribusiness Project, so that the Pakistani meat industry can participate in international trade fairs, which will help increase overall exports,” Afgan said.

The exhibition, first of its kind, housed around 20 stalls, put up by dairy and livestock companies, service providers, meat processors, feedlot farmers and equipment suppliers.

Inaugurating the session, USAID Director for Punjab Dr Miles Toder said Pakistan was the fifth largest livestock producer. In order to take advantage of the growing international Halal market, the USAID is working with progressive stakeholders to increase value-added products and adopt international quality standards in natural cattle fattening operations, meat processing, packaging, and exports.

The US government supported the event through the Agribusiness Project of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with the Agribusiness Support Fund.

“The US government is committed to helping Pakistan’s meat producing industry and other important stakeholders to develop quality standards to compete in lucrative international meat markets,” said Dr Toder.

“With a large cattle population, a traditional Halal meat industry and a growing international Muslim community, Pakistan has a competitive advantage to become a key player in global meat exports,” he added.

Published in Dawn, May 27th, 2015

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