This is apropos a letter to the Editor carried by this newspaper yesterday. In my view, exporting live animals certainly has its place, particularly where established foreign demand makes the trade commercially attractive. However, properly processed, hygienically packed and certified meat offers opportunities for greater value addition within Pakistan.
Modern slaughterhouses, deboning facilities, refrigerated storage, packaging plants and specialised meat-processing businesses could support industrial activity and employment while allowing exporters to supply products tailored to the requirements of different markets. Refrigerated meat shipments could also offer logistical and transport-cost advantages over moving live animals, depending on the destination, product and supply chain.
This is where government policy must become more ambitious. Pakistan should seek to develop an integrated meat industry in which farmers, feedlot operators, veterinary services, processors and exporters work within reliable commercial arrangements. Investment in processing and packaging would create demand for supporting industries, including refrigeration equipment, food-grade packaging, logistics and quality-testing services. The benefits could extend from rural livestock producers to urban industrial centres, provided smaller farmers are given practical access to these supply chains.
Mehdi Hasan, Karachi
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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