ISLAMABAD, Oct 1: Federal Minister for Commerce and Industries Abdul Razak Dawood on Tuesday expressed the hope that Pakistan has potential to capture 15pc of poultry market valued at $6.75 million.

He was talking to a delegation of Pakistan Poultry Association.

Mr Dawood said that the total export of poultry/egg albumin stood at $2.71 million during July 2001 to June 2002 as compared to $1.86 million during the same period of 2000-2001 showing a growth of 46pc. The total world market of hatching eggs amounts to nearly $950 million.

Mr Razak said that the major markets for poultry sector are Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Bangladesh, Egypt, Qatar, Libya, Singapore, Japan and Czech Republic. Other export countries especially of hatching eggs include Netherlands, France and India.

Mr Razak said that the potential of export of hatching eggs to Libya, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Malta, Yemen, Muscat and Bangladesh is estimated at over 225 million hatching eggs annually of a value of approximately $45 million.

There are two or three semi-automated chicken processing units in the country with a total capacity to process up to 4000 to 5000 birds per hour. There are more than 250 hatcheries in production in the country.

Referring to the government initiatives in this sector he said for reduction of freight charges by PIA, Government has recently announced facility of 25pc rebate as subsidy on the products whose export is less than $5 million. The poultry exporters can benefit from this facility.