Conference lays stress on value addition

Value addition is just 4% in Pakistan compared to 25% in developed nations

FAISALABAD: Pakistan’s import bill crossed the $60-billion mark compared to exports of just $23 billion in the last fiscal year, demanding immediate attention of industries, policymakers and experts to minimise the widening import-export gap.

It was echoed by speakers at the All Pakistan Food Sciences Conference arranged by the National Institute of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture (UAF), Faisalabad in collaboration with the Pakistan Society of Food Scientists and Technologists (PSFST) at the UAF on Monday.



Chairing the inaugural session, UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Zafar Iqbal Randhawa said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would pave the way for socio-economic development of all provinces. He said the food industry had a lot of potential to expand and the country could earn heavy foreign exchange by focusing on value addition.

Value addition in the country’s food industry was only 4% while industries in the developed world had at least 25% value addition, he said, adding he was working on strengthening academia-industry linkages as participatory management strategies were the step forward to address different challenges confronting the country.

Speaking on the occasion, PSFST President Dr Faqir Muhammad Anjum said post-harvest losses in the country stood at 35-40%, which were not only reducing productivity, but were also cutting the profitability margin.

He said the establishment of food authorities contributed to making the food quality better. Halal food authority would also start working in two months, he added.

Expressing concern over the low value addition, Dean Faculty of Food Sciences Dr Masood Sadiq Butt said value addition in developed nations was more than 50% whereas Pakistan was stuck at only 3%. He said food security and food processing were areas where joint efforts should be made to help flourish the sector.

“We are wasting a huge quantity of fruits and vegetables due to the lack of value addition and the issue needs to be addressed effectively,” he said.



NIFSAT Director General Dr Tahir Zahoor echoed similar sentiments and said value addition in the food industry would open new avenues of progress in the country. “By overcoming post-harvest losses, we can increase productivity and income by up to 40%,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2018.

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