Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved plans for specialised livestock farms intended to increase Pakistan’s animal and meat exports, according to an official government account of a meeting held on 5 October 2026. The proposal includes duty-free imports of superior-breed, high-yield livestock to be raised at designated farms for export.
What was approved
The prime minister directed officials to organise the sector on more corporate lines and involve private-sector specialists. A livestock tagging system is intended to help ensure that animals brought into the scheme are ultimately exported. Authorities were also told to develop export targets for livestock, meat and related products.
The government directed the preparation of a targeted foot-and-mouth disease action plan within two weeks of the meeting, alongside work on animal-disease surveillance, vaccination and traceability. International certification and third-party validation of slaughterhouses were also highlighted.
Export opportunity and hurdles
According to the government briefing, Pakistan’s meat exports were around $530 million in the preceding fiscal year, with Gulf markets accounting for a large share. Officials identified Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar among existing destinations, and cited opportunities in additional markets.
Disease management, reliable cold chains, slaughterhouse certification and compliance with destination-country requirements are crucial to converting the proposal into exports. Small farms and fragmented supply chains were identified as obstacles.
The approval does not establish that new farms are already operating, that livestock has been imported under the scheme, or that additional export earnings have materialised. Those outcomes will require follow-up reporting on implementing rules, funding, farm openings and actual shipments.
Sources: Radio Pakistan, 5 October 2026; Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, 7 October 2026; Dawn.