Govt gives nod to special livestock farms for export push

Mettis Global reported that the federal government has cleared plans for dedicated farms where imported animals will be reared for overseas sale. The approval came from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during a review meeting in Islamabad on Monday, which also covered restructuring the livestock sector along corporate lines. Imported superior-breed animals will enter duty-free, and a modern tagging system is planned to confirm that stock raised on these farms actually leaves the country.

The Prime Minister noted that livestock accounts for more than 60% of agriculture, and he asked for an action plan to eliminate foot-and-mouth disease within two weeks. Officials were also told to seek international certification for slaughterhouses, backed by third-party checks against global standards. Shehbaz Sharif further ordered that the whole value chain be strengthened and that export targets for meat and related products be set.

The meeting heard that meat exports reached around $530mn in the previous fiscal year, mostly to Gulf countries such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar. Malaysia, China and other markets were named as possible new or expanded destinations. The government is also prioritising feedlot farming, cold chains, deboning and value-added products, aiming to lift meat exports further by 2028.