ISLAMABAD:
Agriculture ministers of Pakistan and Malaysia will explore the
untapped market potential of Halal meat next week in Islamabad in an
attempt to meet domestic requirements of both countries and export to
neighbouring countries in the region, The News has learnt.
The
Malaysian agriculture minister along with a high-level delegation of
agro-based industries would meet with his Pakistani counterpart and
other officials in the federal capital from Dec 14 to 17 to discuss
expanding trade, particularly in Halal meat, an official of the food
ministry told The News.
Pakistan and Malaysia have already struck a Free Trade Agreement, but bilateral trade figures are in favour of Malaysia.
Such
cooperation will not only go a long way towards balancing trade between
the two countries, but will also help Pakistan in fully utilising its
agricultural and livestock products.
Malaysia’s exports to Pakistan last year totalled 5.95 billion ringgit while imports amounted to 363.3m ringgit.
Out
of 57 Muslim countries, interestingly only Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia,
Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and the UAE are in the business of
Halal meat while the rest are net importers of Halal meat from
developed countries like the US, China, India, Brazil, Argentina,
Uruguay, Paraguay, Australia, Thailand, Kenya, France, Singapore,
Spain, the Philippines and the Netherlands.
Besides
deliberations on Halal meat, the official said the Malaysian delegation
would also sign a memorandum of understanding with a local beverage
company and hold talks with officials of the Board of Investment.
Pakistan
has 60 million cattle, 55 million goats and sheep and 30 million
buffaloes. Besides exporting meat to the Middle East, Pakistan also
exports live animals to Central Asia.
Meanwhile, a high-level
delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry and
Department of Veterinary Services of Malaysia is currently in Pakistan
to ascertain prospects of forging strategic cooperation in the field of
agriculture and veterinary services.
The delegation after their
arrival in Islamabad on Dec 7 has been holding meetings with
representatives of the Ministry of Livestock and Dairy Development and
agriculture ministry, and has also been visiting various research
institutes including the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences,
Artificial Insemination Centre and Veterinary Research Institute,
Lahore.
The delegation will also examine world-class Halal food
infrastructure, set up by the private sector and will visit the
Livestock Production Research Institute, Okara, and Buffalo Research
Institute, Pattoki, besides meeting officials of the Punjab Board of
Investment and Trade.
