ISLAMABAD: Ambassador to United Arab Emirates Jamil Ahmed Khan on Wednesday said Pakistan is making efforts to double its food export to the UAE by adding value to its products and by establishing brands.
Talking to reporters after visiting the Pakistan Pavilion at SIAL Middle East Exhibition in Abu Dhabi, the Ambassador said Pakistan could immensely benefit due to its regional proximity and for its low unit price of food export items as compared to other competing countries.
Ambassador Jamil said Pakistan's exports of food products to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region stand at one billion dollar and the UAE shares around fifty percent of the total bill.
He said Pakistan was participating in the SIAL food fair for the first time which had become a truly international brand and added that it was an opportunity to meet leading food suppliers of the Middle East.
He said Pakistan has emerged as an important player of food supplies to the UAE and Gulf region and hoped that SIAL Middle East would facilitate the exhibitors both in product and geographic diversifications.
The Ambassador said it was a matter of great pride and honour that the Pakistan Pavilion was visited by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince, His Highness Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, His Highness Saqr Al Ghobash, Minister of Labour and His Highness Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister for Environment and Water.
Ambassador Jamil said the UAE is currently importing food products around five billion dollar while Pakistan's is sharing 450 million dollar which is one fourth of the overall trade share.
He said according to a new research, the GCC states will spend $53.1 billion by 2020 on food imports to feed growing population.
He said this region spent $25.8 billion on food imports last year, depending heavily on imports of agriculture and food products.
The Ambassador said food consumption in GCC is expected to rise at the rate of 4.6 per cent annually between 2011-15 and reach 51.5 million tonnes per year during this period.
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