The meat export industry in Pakistan is growing at the rate of 30% and it can further be increased through a better processing process.
This was stated by head of Meat and Nutrition Department at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), Dr Muhammad Hayat, in an exclusive talk with APP here on Sunday.
He said that despite the fact that Pakistan is the top beef exporting nation in the neighbourhood and has as its competition big powers of global meat market, Pakistan had so far managed to hold its ground successfully in the regional market of Middle East.
However, he added, in order to enter the emerging market of China and Malaysia, meat sector of Pakistan needed to act in a more scientific and technical way.
He said that in 2005, Pakistan’s meat exports were worth about US$29 million, while in 2015 the figure reached US$243.5 million.
He said the meat retail sector of the country has also changed its shape within the last decade and with increasing interest of consumers in high value hygienic meat, prime cuts, and other meat products, more players are entering the retail sector. However, with deficiency of technical skills and scientific methodologies, it would not be possible for the sector to progress smoothly.
He said UVAS has established the Department of Meat Science and Technology (MST) which is first of its kind in Pakistan, he claimed. It has established a small-scale meat processing plant and processing laboratory at UVAS Lahore campus.
The department has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Punjab Agriculture Meat Company (PAMCO) for conducting student research.
A high-tech meat quality and analytical lab is going to be established at UVAS Ravi Campus in near future.
