Pakistan is endowed with one of the largest livestock populations in the world, which accounts for the most important subsector of agriculture, contributing more than 60% of the total agricultural economy, engaging more than 35 million people or 8 million families in rural subsistence livestock production.

The country is one of the largest meat producers in the world, mainly catering for the domestic market needs. Though from a relatively low basis, Pakistan was one of the fastest-growing meat exporters in the past decade, capitalizing on the country’s competitive advantage to supply meat to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Pakistan is well poised to become a major supplier of red meat in international market. The meat sector strategy will particularly focus on improving the competitive constraints such as eradication of foot and mouth disease in Pakistan, high costs of sourcing animals, and low yields that otherwise hinder exports. Other concerns such as lack of traceability of livestock and the incapacity of a number of meat processors to comply with quality and food safety requirements, which result in restricted access of Pakistani meat in most importing countries will be tackled extensively in the strategies plan of action.

The meat industry strategy envisions:

‘To develop the Pakistani meat industry with the highest food safety and halal standards to serve international markets with value-added products.’

The Strategy emphasizes the following strategic and operational objectives