The relentless efforts of former Caretaker Provincial Minister for Livestock, Ibrahim Murad, have begun to bear fruit, resulting in a historic 55% increase in Pakistan’s meat exports.
Last year, the country’s meat exports stood at $307 million, but according to figures released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, exports from July 2023 to April 2024 have reached a remarkable number of $431 million, with a total of 104,513 metric tons of meat and meat products exported.
Former Provincial Minister Ibrahim Murad said that the increase in exports was not just a win for the meat industry but a significant step towards strengthening the economy. “The role of farmers has been instrumental in this growth in meat exports. Sincere intentions and strong determination always lead to success,” he stated.
Murad added that the former Caretaker Government of Punjab undertook groundbreaking initiatives to promote the livestock sector. These initiatives included Pakistan’s first disease-controlled compartment, implementation of the Pakistan Animal Traceability and Identification System and the provision of hybrid protein forage across 37,000 acres to improve meat quality.
He highlighted that the ministry implemented a master plan for the revival of the livestock sector. This included executing projects to ban and monitor the smuggling/slaughtering of useful breeding female animals across Punjab, establishing cooperative farming in each district, incentivizing grassroots dairy development, and initiating the Bahawalpur meat zone.
Additionally, the ministry introduced mobile veterinary labs, the National Foot and Mouth Disease Control Program, provided easy financing for livestock farmers, enhanced genetic improvement of non-descript cattle, and implemented many other initiatives.
He emphasized that the significant increase in meat exports would play a crucial role in strengthening the national economy. The former minister said international halal meat market was worth $2 trillion and Pakistan could boost its meat exports and reduce national debt through improvements in the livestock sector.
“Pakistan is endowed with rich resources. We must harness these resources through hard work to set the country on the path to progress. I hope the current government plays its role in improving the national economy through initiatives in the livestock sector and other areas,” he added.
Murad was of the view that the achievement not only highlighted the potential of Pakistan’s livestock sector, but also set a promising precedent for the future, showing that with dedication and strategic planning, significant economic advancements could be made.
