ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday stressed that effective coordination and partnership between the federal and provincial governments was essential for increasing per-acre agricultural productivity, introducing innovation in agriculture, developing the livestock sector and promoting agricultural exports.

Chairing a meeting on promotion of the agriculture sector and enhancement of agriculture exports, the prime minister directed that coordinated measures be taken to expand access for Pakistani agricultural products to international markets and explore new markets.

He directed commercial officers posted at Pakistan’s missions abroad to play an effective role in promoting agricultural exports. He also directed that an effective media campaign be launched to raise awareness among farmers about the mobile application available for monitoring crops.

The prime minister said value addition in agricultural products was essential for increasing exports from the agriculture sector. He said the agriculture sector played a key role in the growth and stability of the country’s economy. Proposals were presented at the meeting for the development of the agriculture sector and promotion of agricultural exports.

The meeting was informed that the country’s agricultural exports stood at $5.18 billion during the last financial year. Rice, fisheries, halal meat, potatoes, sesame, tobacco, mangoes and maize were among major agricultural exports.

The meeting proposed the development of value chains to increase agricultural exports. China, Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Gulf countries were identified as important markets for Pakistan’s agricultural exports.

The meeting was informed that the National Agriculture and Food Security Council would be made functional. The chief ministers would represent their respective provinces in the council.

The meeting was briefed on a proposal to establish a Digital Farmers’ Diary-Agri Stack, under which farmers across the country and agricultural land records would be digitised along with records related to soil and water testing.

A Pakistan-Good Agriculture Practices (Pak-GAP) system would be developed to promote agricultural practices that produce better results, it was further proposed. Facilities related to agricultural financing would be provided to promote exporters in the agriculture sector.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2026