THIS is with reference to the report ‘Govt hopes to earn $200m from meat exports to Malaysia’ (Oct 4). The government’s hope is based on a remark by the Malaysian prime minister to the effect that his country would import meat from Pakistan. This is expected to flourish the livestock sector of the country and increase foreign exchange earnings.

The sector has a lot of potential to boost the country’s exports because Pakistan possesses breeds of livestock that are among the best in the world, and have the traits of early maturity, adaptability to climate, and quality meat, if reared, managed and fed properly. Malaysia does not have quality livestock meant for meat production, and has routinely imported cattle from developed countries to meet its requirements.

To increase the production of meat, the local livestock sector is to be organised on scientific lines. The country’s arid and semi-arid areas are suitable for livestock rearing as they are thickly-populated with high-yielding cattle, goat and sheep breeds. About 90 per cent of population in the desert of Sindh and Cholistan area of Punjab depends on livestock rearing, as there is no other suitable means of earning available to these people.

Desert and surrounding areas of Sindh possess the best cattle breeds. Tharpar- kar has Kankraj cattle, while Punjab possesses Cholistani, which is one of the best cattle breed. These cattle breeds have higher fertility and calving rates. Male calves of these cattle breeds grow at a fast pace as they are kept on natural grazing. The grazing fields have quality pastures with higher protein.

The relevant areas in Sindh and Punjab are providing beef as well as mutton to bigger cities, like Karachi, Lahore, Multan and Islamabad. But due to lack of training and resources available to the farmers, most of the animals supplied are immature, weak and underfed. Meat produced by these animals lacks quality. Well-fed, well-managed and adult animals, when slaughtered, can provide quality meat having the key characteristics of digestibility, higher nutrition and better taste.

To achieve the target of existing and future meat exports, arid and semi-arid regions in the country need to be developed through the establishment of meat development companies on a cooperative basis under an umbrella corporation or authority, which should target providing more facilities to the farmers on breeding, management, nutrition, disease control and marketing aspects.

Further, an export development fund, recovered from the export proceeds of meat and allied products, may be invested in the development of livestock, farmers’ training, and small credit facilities for the poor farmers. This will allow the farmers to rear, manage and fatten the male animals properly. Besides, cattle markets should be established with all the required facilities, including the installation of weighing bridges to upgrade the system of selling meat on a weight basis.

This way, the farmers will fatten their animals properly to ensure higher weight with the aim of fetching a good price when they are sold in the market. This will increase the production of meat, and, in turn, the income of the farmers.

The proposed meat company may also develop ostrich farming, which is also a good source of meat production in semi-arid areas. If we are able to develop meat production in the country, more avenues for meat export may open up for us regionally and internationally.

Dr Baz Muhammad Junejo
Ex-Secretary, Livestock and Fisheries, Sindh
Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2024