ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Monday stressed the need for development of livestock sector in the country, saying that it could contribute to economic development, food security and poverty alleviation.

Highlighting the importance of livestock in the economic development of Pakistan, the President said livestock sector had great potential to earn foreign exchange and called for increasing the export value by meeting international requirements and ensuring quality control of products.

The President gave these remarks while chairing a follow-up meeting on meat exports and processing, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, today. The meeting was attended by the Provincial Secretaries and Director Generals of Livestock Departments, Members of All Pakistan Meat Exporters and Processors Association (APMEPA) and senior officials of Ministries of Commerce and National Food Security.

The meeting reviewed the progress on the decisions taken during the last meeting.

The Secretary, Livestock Punjab, gave a presentation about the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in animals and informed the meeting about the efforts made by provincial government to control the disease.

The meeting proposed various solutions and strategies for controlling FMD in the country. The meat exporters apprised the meeting about various issues and challenges being faced by them with regard to export of meat.

The President asked the concerned ministries and departments to facilitate the meat exporters and address their problems, particularly the rationalisation of certification process of Halal food and issuance of quarantine certificates.

He reiterated the government’s commitment to address the problems of meat exporters and processors enabling them to enhance production and increase exports.