July 6, 2012

Pakistan eyes to produce 3.3 million tonnes meat to meet demands

In order to fulfil the domestic demand as well as for export purposes, Pakistani government has set target of producing about 3.3 million tonnes of meat during the current financial year.

An official in the Ministry of National Food Security and Research told The Financial Daily here on Thursday (July 5) that meat production in the country was increased by 5.76% during last financial year.

As many as 3.2 million tonnes meat was produced during the year 2011-12 as against the set target of three million tonnes posting 5.76% increase in its production, he added.

He said that beef production target has been set at 1.8 million tonnes and mutton production at 0.643 million as against the last year's achievements of 1.76 million tonnes and 0.629 million tonnes respectively. He said that beef and mutton production during the year 2011-12 had registered a growth of 4.7% and 3.4% respectively.

Meanwhile, poultry production is set to reach 0.937 million tonnes during the current financial year. The poultry production increased by 10% during the year 2011-12 as about 834 million tonnes poultry meat was produced against the set target of 758 million tonnes, he added.

The official further said that milk production is projected to touch 39.94 million tonnes target as compared to the last year's production of 38.69 million tonnes, while the egg production is expected to reach 13.81 million, showing 6.5% growth.

The target of other livestock production like fish are set at 0.729 million tonnes which deposited negative growth in its production during last financial year as it output was dropped by 24%. As many as 0.262 million tonnes of inland and 0.467 tonnes of marine fish production is estimated during the year 2012-13 to fulfil the domestic consumption as well as to export, he remarked.