AVN Report
ISLAMABAD: Highlighting the record onion exports of $225 million this year as a positive indicator, Federal Minister for Commerce, Jam Kamal Khan, expressed confidence that, with a focused strategy and targeted support, agricultural exports could double within two to three years.
He said this recently in a meeting with the Councils for Agriculture and Food Processing, and Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Seafood Products while discussing ways to enhance Pakistan’s export potential.
In a meeting with the Council for Agriculture and Food Processing, the minister highlighted the substantial potential for exporting key agricultural commodities such as onions, bananas, dates, citrus fruits, and mangoes.
However, council members raised concerns about the impact of taxation on competitiveness, suggesting that prioritising value-added exports over raw goods could generate higher foreign exchange.
Khan agreed with the council members and urged them to develop a proposal for the National Export Development Board (NEDB), led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He also advised exploring projects financed by the Export Development Fund (EDF) and recommended that the Ministry of Climate Change guide farmers on adapting crop selection to the changing climate.
In a separate meeting with the Council for Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Seafood Products, attended by Minister for Maritime Affairs Qaiser Ahmed Shaikh, Khan underscored the potential for increased exports through improved utilisation and value addition in the livestock sector.
Council member Bilal Tata raised concerns about production inefficiencies, price fluctuations, and livestock smuggling, calling for stabilising the market and creating disease-free zones to meet export standards.
The minister assured that the prime minister is aware of these issues and efforts are underway to support the sector. For fisheries, he proposed adopting cage fish farming and pledged support for developing fishing harbours using EDF funds, alongside improved collaboration with the Ministry of Maritime Affairs.
