LAHORE: The meat export industry in Pakistan is growing at the rate of 30pc and it can further be increased through a better processing process.
This was stated by head of Meat and Nutrition Department, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Dr Muhammad Hayat in an exclusive talk with APP here on Sunday.
He said that despite top beef exporting nation in the neighbourhood and big powers of global meat market as competitors, so far Pakistan has held its ground successfully in the regional market of Middle East.
However, he added, in order to enter the emerging market of China and Malaysia, meat sector of Pakistan needed to act more scientifically and technically.
He said that in 2005, Pakistan's meat exports were about US$29 million, while in 2015 it reached US$243.5 million figure.
He said that meat retail sector of the country has also changed its shape within the last decade and with increasing interest of consumers in high value hygienic meat primal cuts and meat products, more players are entering the retail sector. However, with deficiency of technical skills and scientific methodologies, it would not be possible for the sector to progress smoothly.
He said the UVAS has established the Department of Meat Science and Technology (MST) which is first of its kind in Pakistan, he claimed. It has established a small-scale meat processing plant and processing laboratory at UVAS Lahore campus.
The department has recently signed a memoramdum of understanding (MoU) with the Punjab Agriculture Meat Company (PAMCO) for conducting student research.
A high-tech Meat Quality and Analytical lab is going to be established at UVAS Ravi Campus in near future.
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