ISLAMABAD: Agriculture ministers of Pakistan and Malaysia will explore the untapped market potential of Halal meat next week in Islamabad in an attempt to meet domestic requirements of both countries and export to neighbouring countries in the region, The News has learnt.
The Malaysian agriculture minister along with a high-level delegation of agro-based industries would meet with his Pakistani counterpart and other officials in the federal capital from Dec 14 to 17 to discuss expanding trade, particularly in Halal meat, an official of the food ministry told The News.
Pakistan and Malaysia have already struck a Free Trade Agreement, but bilateral trade figures are in favour of Malaysia.
Such cooperation will not only go a long way towards balancing trade between the two countries, but will also help Pakistan in fully utilising its agricultural and livestock products.
Malaysia’s exports to Pakistan last year totalled 5.95 billion ringgit while imports amounted to 363.3m ringgit.
Out of 57 Muslim countries, interestingly only Bangladesh, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and the UAE are in the business of Halal meat while the rest are net importers of Halal meat from developed countries like the US, China, India, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Australia, Thailand, Kenya, France, Singapore, Spain, the Philippines and the Netherlands.
Besides deliberations on Halal meat, the official said the Malaysian delegation would also sign a memorandum of understanding with a local beverage company and hold talks with officials of the Board of Investment.
Pakistan has 60 million cattle, 55 million goats and sheep and 30 million buffaloes. Besides exporting meat to the Middle East, Pakistan also exports live animals to Central Asia.
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