Livestock, dairy, poultry fair: Sindh govt working on achieving food security

Vows support and incentives for wider agricultural sector

KARACHI: Sindh Minister of Livestock and Fisheries Muhammad Ali Malkani has said that the provincial government is committed to promoting and supporting agriculture, livestock, dairy and other sectors and will provide incentives and facilities to investors.

He said this while inaugurating the Livestock, Dairy, Fisheries, Poultry and Agriculture Exhibition (LDFA) 2017 at the Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam on Saturday.

“I would suggest that the exhibition should be held in other cities of the province including Larkana, Sukkur, etc. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has approved an action plan and the government is also working on food security,” Malkani added.

The Sindh Enterprise Development Fund (SEDF), in collaboration with the livestock, fisheries and agriculture departments, organised the sixth edition of the LDFA in a bid to strengthen rural economy of the province. The fair will end on January 22.

It is showcasing investment opportunities in the agricultural sector of Sindh and bringing the government and investors on a single platform for collaboration, according to a press release.

It will also address the issues of urban migration, shortage of resources, poverty and subdued investment.

Sindh Board of Investment and SEDF Chairperson Naheed Memon said the provincial government organised a vital exhibition at the start of new year for mainstream sectors of the agricultural economy including livestock, dairy, fisheries and poultry.

“The purpose of holding the exhibition in an agricultural university is to link academic education and training with trade and development in the agricultural industry,” she added.

“We want to promote economy on the basis of knowledge, development and research so that the economy can be put on the track of modernisation while making it more state of the art by meeting demand of the modern world. As soon as we achieve strong bondage between the education sector and economy, the province and the country will start noticing its positive impact on the economy.”

Sindh Agriculture University Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Memon Mujeebuddin Sahrai saw a huge potential in the livestock, dairy and fisheries sectors in Sindh.

Pakistan is believed to be the fifth largest producer of milk with annual output of 38.69 billion litres, of which only a small fraction is processed.

He claimed that about 28% buffaloes, 27% cattle, 24% sheep, 28% camels and 40% poultry were found in Sindh. “The potential of Halal meat exports and the ever-rising gap between demand and production of meat and milk makes Sindh a very lucrative investment destination,” he added.

During the exhibition, a large number of experts presented their studies and highlighted the potential in the agricultural field. A large number of companies and diplomats from the embassies of Italy and Russia were also present.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2017.

Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.