LDFA to kick off on January 21

As many as 60 exhibitors and some 10 trade bodies are expected to participate in the two-day 6th edition of Livestock Dairy Fisheries Agriculture (LDFA) Exhibition and Seminar, scheduled to be held at the Sindh Agriculture University (SAU), Tando Jam from January 21 to 22. This stated by Sindh Board of Investment (SBI) and Sindh Enterprise Development Fund's (SEPD) chairman Naheed Memon at a press conference held here on Thursday at the SBI head office.
Unfolding details of LDFA, he said that a number of foreign investors, foreign companies, international agriculture experts, 13 agricultural, 19 local and international companies and banks, two dairy and livestock companies, six poultry and fisheries firms and 10 associated institutions and trade bodies will participate in the event. Besides, 20 exhibitors would introduce and promote exotic birds in the exhibition.
Speaking on the occasion, SAU's vice chancellor Professor Dr Memon Mujeeb-ud-din Sahrai said that SEDF and SBI chairman would launch "Agri Business Challenge" on the inaugural day of the event for the students of SAU at which three best proposals will be sponsored and implemented by the SEDF.
SEDF's chief executive officer Mehboob-ul-Haq said that a vast potential exists in the livestock, dairy and fisheries sectors in Sindh as Pakistan ranks 5th largest milk producer, with 38.69 billion litres of milk produced, annually, and of which only a small fraction is processed.
Elaborating, he said that of the total livestock population of the country, 28 per cent buffaloes, 27pc cattle, 24pc sheep, 28pc camels and 40pc poultry population exists in Sindh. Besides, the potential of Halal meat exports and ever-increasing gap between demand and production of meat and milk makes Sindh a very lucrative investment destination, he opined.
The SBI director (Projects) Abdul Azeem Uqaili talked about the ready projects for investment in this sector and stated that Sindh government is committed to promoting dairy sector, not only for food security, but also for improving value addition and value chain.
He said that the LDFA-2016 is aimed at establishing that Sindh is an economically viable province by identifying the areas/locations for investment in LDFA sectors as well as to engage the financial institutions and investors so that they could establish and promote agriculture sector.
The other objectives of the event include confidence-building measures for foreign and local investors, highlight investment opportunities in Sindh's agriculture sector, produce exportable surplus by bringing in efficiency and technology in the entire value chain of these sectors, he said, adding that all-out efforts would be made to bring Sindh government and investors on a single platform for the purpose of collaboration, incentives and facilities to attract investment in the LDFA sector.
Sindh Agriculture University's UAFA director Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar informed the media that the last five LDFAs helped in materialising business/commercial deals worth Rs 1 billion and gave boost to the agrarian economy of the province.
The forthcoming LDFA is also expected to attract a large number of participants and visitors and they include foreign and local businessmen, investors, banking and investment professionals, representatives of different ministries and departments of the federal and Sindh governments, besides the SAU students, he added. Later, SBI director (Admin) Abrar Ahmed Shaikh said that a large proportion of the country and Sindh's economy is either directly or indirectly linked with the agriculture sector as it provides 40pc employment to the labour force and contributes 23pc to the GDP.