Pakistan's economy based on agriculture and livestock sector is a significant part of it. He said Pakistan 4th largest milk producer in the world with an annual production of over 40 billion litres. This is huge potential but this sector is operating mostly in the informal economy and not contributing to the national economy. He said that dairy farming sector in Pakistan should be revamped on modern lines to tap its huge potential.
The LCCI President said that livestock accounts for around 12 percent for the GDP and its value is higher than all the agricultural products including major, minor crops and fruits & vegetables. He said that a little focus towards this important sector and public-private partnership could yield miraculous results.
Abdul Basit said appetite for Pakistani meat is strong in both domestic and export markets. He said exports of live animals should be marginalized and only meat be exported to get maximum benefits. He said that 15 percent milk is wasted in transportation requiring instant remedies. More chillers on farmlands need to be established, these can operate through join ownership of farmers. He said the chillers should be operated on no-profit-no-loss basis through interest free loan from the state, returnable in five years time.
He said poultry meat accounts for around 25 percent of domestic food requirements. The major means to cut cost in poultry is through reducing all import items involved in industry to zero level. He said that local research institutes are required to develop lair-chick farms and establish hatcheries within the vicinities of broiler farms in order to cut the cost of transportation and to keep the overall cost minimal in domestic market.
It is recommended to provide five buffaloes, ten goats and three acres to widows in each village to root out rural poverty. "Once these are in place poverty reduction will be ensured and at the same time can provide milk, meat and biomass for the power projects in villages," he said. He said the government should set a target of five percent per year growth for livestock produce which can easily be achieved if the livestock investment from the state remains concentrated on composite projects from embryo development to export of meat for the farm. He said that efforts must be directed to minimize the intermediaries between the farmer and domestic market on one hand and between the farmer and the international market on the other hand. He said agriculture, livestock and dairy sectors could help achieve the targets of economic development, export growth, food security and poverty alleviation therefore policymakers must focus these areas in forthcoming budget.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017