FAISALABAD, Jan 26: Meat prices in the domestic market will not rise further as exports are a fraction of the actual potential, says Ikhlaq Ahmed Tarar, Secretary, Livestock and Dairy Development, Punjab.

During his visit here, he said, at present, Pakistan was exporting only one per cent meat of slaughtered animals.

Explaining the causes of dearness of meat in Pakistan, he said that non-existence of competition in domestic market had fomented monopoly groups who were exploiting this situation for their personal gains whereas cattle farmers were facing financial problems.

Underlining the need to export of meat from Pakistan, he said that demand of Hilal meat was gradually increasing around the globe. Delegations of Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates had recently visited Pakistan to study local meat markets.

“They not only expressed satisfaction over the existing network but also termed it most suitable for Hilal meat export.” he said.

The provincial secretary said that Asian Development Bank had been requested to design two new projects of slaughter houses for Lahore and Faisalabad.

He said that a high-level consultative committee was preparing a comprehensive plan for livestock, dairy development and poultry production which would not only fix the international standards for meat but also prepare a policy to cater to our future needs.—APP