PHOTO: REUTERS
Barkat Frisian Egg Company - a joint venture between Frisian Egg of the Netherlands and the Buksh Group of Pakistan - has started processing a million eggs per day. Pakistan’s egg production grew by a billion from 13.7 billion eggs in 2017-18 to 14.7 billion in 2018-19 and by 2020, the number is expected to grow by more than a billion.
Barkat Frisian Egg Company is the first of its kind liquid egg pasteurisation company set up at the Bin Qasim Industrial Park with monthly production capacity of 1,000 tons.
The project was set up with a total cost of Rs243 million comprising Rs170 million in debt and Rs73 million in equity. A debt of Rs110 million (€500,000) was provided by the Netherlands government. The Sindh Enterprise Development Fund (SEDF) has set aside Rs17 million for interest payment that the company will incur on the loan.
No chickens or eggs for Bahawalpur’s residents
The company makes different components from eggs such as whole egg pasteurised liquid, egg yolk pasteurised liquid, egg white pasteurised liquid, sugar and salt blended products, and frozen and fresh products. These products are demanded in the domestic market by confectionaries, bakeries and restaurants. The company can also tap export potential in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and other countries.
Byproducts of the company include egg shells, which are used in cosmetics and animal feed, and egg membrane, which is used in the pharmaceutical industry.
“My dream came true when the government of Sindh and the government of the Netherlands agreed to join hands,” said Barkat Frisian Egg Company CEO M Adil Ali. “Besides, Frisian Egg and the Netherlands’ government have complete confidence in Pakistan’s economic outlook.”
“At least 33% of all eggs produced in Europe are processed as liquid or powder and we hope to achieve this in Pakistan too,” said Frisian Egg Group Chairman Jacob Stuiver at the inauguration ceremony held recently. Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah said the province would aim to benefit from European companies like Frisian Egg, adding that the government would invite more Dutch companies to enter and form joint ventures in Pakistan. He extended support to investors in agro-based businesses from the Sindh investment department, livestock and fisheries, agriculture and forest departments.
“We are trying to encourage the agriculture-based industry and for the purpose we have established a fund to assist such industries in Sindh,” he said. Also speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Netherlands Ambassador Ardi-Stoios Braken voiced hope that the joint venture would steer food safety, professionalisation of the food chain and reduction of waste besides creating employment.
Sindh Investment Department Secretary Ahsan Ali Mangi termed the joint venture a success of the SEZs in Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 2nd, 2019.
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