PM Shehbaz Unveils Bold Blueprint to Boost Livestock Exports via High-Yield Breeding and Corporate Farming

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved a comprehensive, market-driven strategy to scale up Pakistan’s livestock exports, directing duty-free imports of high-yield animal breeds, the establishment of specialized corporate farms, and a sweeping modernization of the country’s animal health supply chain.

Chairing a high-level review meeting on livestock sector reforms on Monday, the Prime Minister emphasized that transforming traditional farming practices into a corporate-led export industry is essential to tapping into lucrative global meat and dairy markets.

Key Policy Directives

• Duty-Free High-Yield Imports: The government will allow duty-free imports of high-breed, high-yield livestock to stock specialized corporate farms, accelerating breeding quality and meat production for export markets.
• Traceability & Digital Tagging: A modern animal-tagging system will be implemented to meet international tracking standards, ensuring every exported animal can be traced throughout its lifecycle.
• Eradication of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD): Authorities have been given a strict two-week deadline to submit a targeted roadmap to eliminate FMD, establishing disease-free compartments to open premium export destinations.
• International Standards & Certification: Slaughterhouses across Pakistan will undergo international certification and independent third-party validation to enforce strict hygiene, processing, and Halal standards.
• Corporate & Private Sector Integration: The Ministry of National Food Security and Research, alongside provincial governments, will work with private-sector experts to restructure fragmented supply chains and incentivize feedlot farming and cold-chain infrastructure.

Sector Overview & Export Targets

The livestock sector represents a critical pillar of Pakistan’s rural and macro-economy:

While current exports are concentrated in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets—including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar—officials highlighted massive untapped growth potential in Malaysia, China, and expanded Middle Eastern avenues once international health standards are fully met.