ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to export 143,000 tons of halal meat to Tajikistan, earning approximately $14.5 million, as part of its strategy to enhance trade ties with Central Asian nations.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved Pakistan’s halal meat policy, designed to strengthen the country’s meat exports to Muslim-majority nations.
During a high-level meeting on December 24, Federal Minister for Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain highlighted that countries such as Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and other Gulf states were showing interest in importing Pakistani fresh meat and rice. Specifically, Tajikistan has expressed intent to purchase around 100,000 tons of meat from Pakistan.
Pakistan has been actively working to boost its halal meat exports beyond Central Asia. In October, during Prime Minister Sharif’s visit to Malaysia, the two nations agreed on a $200 million halal meat trade quota as part of their growing economic collaboration.
Data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) for 2024 revealed that Pakistan’s total meat exports, including beef, mutton, and poultry, reached a value of $512 million.
The UAE emerged as the largest importer of Pakistani meat that year, accounting for $201 million in imports. Saudi Arabia also saw significant growth in imports from Pakistan, with a 65.1% increase bringing the total value to $141 million.
