ISLAMABAD, May 15: Federal Minister for Industries and Production Jehangir Khan Tareen has directed the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda) to finalize a strategy for development of the dairy industry. He was reviewing the draft presentation prepared by the Strategy Working Group in collaboration with Smeda and USAID here on Saturday.

The minister said the strategy would be developed as a commonly agreed document through discussion and consultation with the ministry of food, agriculture and livestock, besides extensive contemplation by the private sector stakeholders and experts of the dairy sector. The presentation showed that the strategy would help establish model farms and procurement systems.

The presentation claimed that the strategy would help Pakistan become a centre of excellence in dairy technology, increasing the farmers income from Rs13 billion to Rs28 billion in next two years.

It pointed out that at present the government revenue in dairy sector stood at Rs30 billion only, which would increase to Rs74 billion within next three years.—APP