Under the plan, the target of $200 million in meat exports to Malaysia has been set for the next three to five years. Currently, Pakistan exports buffalo meat worth $38,000 to Malaysia.
A high-level meeting of a relevant committee was held to finalise a comprehensive meat export plan in line with the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. It was jointly chaired by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar Khan, Federal Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain and Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan.
At the sitting, the final business plan was presented for meat exports to Malaysia, marking a major step towards expanding Pakistan’s footprint in the international halal meat market.
Haroon Akhtar commended the collaborative efforts of all ministries and stakeholders to prepare the export business model. He stated, “An efficient business framework for meat exports has been developed. All members of the committee and ministries have done an outstanding job.”
Jam Kamal highlighted the joint contribution of all stakeholders, noting, “This package is the result of collective efforts and consensus among all concerned sectors.”
The committee identified major challenges affecting exports, including the foot and mouth disease, processing deficiencies and logistical hurdles.
Haroon Akhtar announced, “The halal meat sector will be granted industry status. This will increase exports and strengthen Pakistan’s economy.” He added that a practical business plan had been designed with mutual consultation and specific tasks with timelines had been assigned to each sector and stakeholder to achieve the $200 million target.
Jam Kamal underscored the significance of financial facilitation, saying, “To reduce export costs and provide incentives, the banking sector, provincial and federal governments, and the State Bank of Pakistan will play a crucial role.”
Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain stated that modern slaughterhouses would be established in accordance with Malaysian standards to facilitate compliance and strengthen the trade potential.