LAHORE: Finance Minister Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb has said that Pakistan’s poultry sector offers significant potential for investment, employment generation and export growth, stressing that strengthening livestock and poultry industries is essential for the development of the country’s agricultural economy.
Addressing the International Poultry Expo 2026 here Saturday, he said Pakistan is the world’s 11th-largest poultry producer, with around 1.5 million families associated with the sector. The industry produced approximately 2.5 billion kilogrammes of poultry meat and more than 28 million eggs, making a significant contribution to national food security and protein availability.
The minister said the poultry expo featured more than 200 stalls and had attracted considerable interest from the business community. He noted that poultry played an important role in providing employment in rural areas while contributing to the country’s food requirements.
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However, he pointed out that poultry meat accounted for a relatively small share of meat exports from Central and South Asia, while Pakistan’s poultry exports remained below USD4 million.
Aurangzeb said investment in the poultry industry could stimulate economic activity and create new employment opportunities. He stressed that the adoption of modern technologies could substantially enhance productivity and improve the sector’s competitiveness.
Emphasising the importance of private-sector participation, he said a conducive business environment was essential for the growth of the poultry industry and its allied businesses. The availability of poultry meat and eggs was also critical to ensuring food security, he added.
The finance minister said the government was focusing on promoting investment and development across various sectors of the economy and taking steps at the local level to address issues faced by the poultry industry.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026