Türkiye to help produce FMD vaccine

Technical delegation to visit after PM Sharif sought support for domestic production

ISLAMABAD:

Türkiye will extend technical cooperation on producing foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine in Pakistan, and a Turkish technical delegation will visit to explore collaboration, Türkiye's ambassador, Dr rfan Nezirolu, told Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had decided to seek Turkish support for developing domestic FMD vaccine production capacity, the minister said. Livestock development and domestic vaccine production emerged as major priorities at the meeting, according to a statement issued by the ministry on Wednesday.

A key focus of the meeting was capacity building and technical training.

Pakistan plans to send an initial group of about 30 participants to Türkiye under a proposed training programme for 100 trainees. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has identified potential Turkish institutions, and coordination with the Higher Education Commission is under way to finalise universities, priority disciplines and arrangements.

Both sides discussed findings from recent exchanges between livestock experts, including a Pakistani delegation's visit to study Türkiye's sector. That delegation is preparing a report on practical areas for adopting relevant Turkish expertise.

The cooperation on vaccine production and disease control was linked to Pakistan's ambition to establish disease-free zones and widen access to international meat markets, particularly Türkiye. Both sides noted that better animal health standards and domestic vaccine output would expand livestock and meat export potential.

The meeting also reviewed Türkiye's earlier support through TIKA for an olive oil facility in Muzaffarabad, which has reportedly benefited about 5,000 farmers. Pakistan expressed interest in similar projects in olive-producing areas of Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Chakwal and Attock, with emphasis on processing, value addition and improved market opportunities.

The Turkish ambassador offered to facilitate links with Turkish universities, particularly those specialising in agriculture.