Livestock sector to show off in bid to lure investment

LDFA 2015 returns as Sindh Board of Investment pins high hopes .

KARACHI:

The Sindh Board of Investment (SBI) is looking forward to the upcoming livestock, dairy, fishery agriculture (LDFA) 2015 exhibition, hoping that the trade fair could prove to be a stepping stone towards attracting new businesses and investments.

“We expect better business opportunities for the exhibitors and others in the fifth edition of LDFA,” SBI Director General Muhammad Riazuddin said while talking to media.

Without specifying how much business the last four exhibitions have generated, Riazuddin said that the event is fulfilling its purpose as it is providing a platform to local and international companies to share their expertise and knowledge about new technologies.

LDFA 2015 will be organised at the Expo Centre Karachi from May 30 to 31, 2015.



According to the SBI’s website, all four versions of LDFA witnessed collective business deals of more than Rs2.5 billion.

SBI official present in the briefing informed that the Sindh government has started a scheme in which the farmers can get cheap financing from private banks. The provincial government will provide a loan of Rs32,000 per acre at a subsidised rate.

According to the SBI, a large proportion of Pakistan and Sindh’s economy is directly and indirectly linked to the agriculture sector. “It provides 45% of employment to our labour force and contributes 21% to the country’s GDP.”

“I want to reiterate the Sindh government’s resolve to promote and boost investment in agriculture and livestock sectors,” Riazuddin said.

This year, 24 exhibitors will be promoting exotic birds in LDFA 2015. Other than this, there are other participants including 21 agriculture companies, 14 international companies and banks, 14 companies of dairy and livestock, and 9 companies from poultry and fisheries. Moreover, the diplomatic missions of Sri Lanka and Indonesia are also participating as exhibitors to create linkages with Pakistani companies.

Sindh produces a variety of field and horticultural crops, including major ones such as wheat, rice, sugarcane, and cotton; approximately 68% of the total cropped area is used for their production.

Sindh produces 35% of the total rice produced in Pakistan, 28% of sugarcane, 12% of wheat, and 20% of cotton. Similarly of the major horticulture crops, Sindh produces 88% chillies, 73% bananas, and 34% mangoes.

LDFA 2015 is aimed to position Sindh as an economically viable province by identifying areas for investment in various sectors.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 27^th,  2015.

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