‘Meat exports can boost national economy’

LAHORE:

Red meat export can boost agriculture and the national economy, speakers at a consultative meeting said on Sunday.

The meeting was held at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore.

Punjab Agriculture and Meat Company (PAMCO) Chief Executive Officer Ilyas Ghauri, All Pakistan Meat Exporters’ and Processors’ Association (APMEPA) secretary general Syed Hasan Raza, PAMCO business development manager Fahad Hussain, Muhammad Nawaz Doger, Mian Abdul Hanan, Prof Dr Aleem Bhatti, Dr Hayat Jaspal and Dr Ahtishamur Rehman among others attended the meeting.

Chairing the meeting, UVAS Vice Chancellor Talat Naseer Pasha said that agricultural grain stock lying unused for years should be used for feedlot farming. “The resulting increase in animal meat should be exported. This will provide a hefty income for farmers and the country. New international markets should be explored for enhancing meats exports,” he said.

He said that the UVAS was ready to extend support to the meat supply chain industry to ensure that quality meat reached consumers.

Ghauri said that the PAMCO was working for the value chain of livestock. “An entrepreneurial model should be developed to address deficiencies and impediments in meat sector growth. It will benefit farmers, consumers and the industry equally,” he said.

He said that it was important to ensure that consumers got quality meat after standard processing and transportation from farms to the markets. He also called for exploring markets especially in Russia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia and China.

The participants identified several problems facing the sector and gave suggestions to overcome them.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 7^th,  2015.