CORRECTION-How big is Pakistan’s meat trade and who’s buying its exports?
*Corrects percentage of Pakistan's 10 biggest meat and edible meat offal (MEMO) export buyers to their overall MEMO imports in 2016, from 2.67 percent of $9.258 billion to 2.58 percent, which is equivalent to $238.99 million
Pakistan’s government is exploring new markets for export of meat and dairy products with a focus on the halal trade, according to local press reports.
How big is Pakistan’s meat and dairy trade now and where are its exports going?
EXPORTS
According to ITC Trade Map data, in 2016, Pakistan exported $313.538 million in three categories: 1. Meat and edible meat offal (internal organs) ($239.74 million), 2. Dairy produce; birds’ eggs; natural honey; edible products of animal origin ($67.471 million), and 3. Live animals ($6.327 million).
These three categories account for 1.53 percent of Pakistan’s $20.5 billion exports of all products to the world in 2016.
Meat and edible meat offal (MEMO) is the biggest of the three categories, accounting for 76.5 percent of the three’s exports.
Pakistan’s biggest export is textiles and textile articles, which brought in $9.481 billion in nine months from November 2016 to July 2017, according to most recent data from the State Bank of Pakistan.
BIGGEST MEMO BUYERS
Pakistan exported $238.99 million, or 99.69 percent, of all its MEMO in 2016 to 10 countries: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Vietnam, Bahrain, Oman, Afghanistan, Qatar, Thailand, and Malaysia.
However, Pakistan is a small MEMO export player. Its 10 biggest MEMO export markets imported a total of $9.258 billion of MEMO in 2016, out of which only 2.58 percent came from Pakistan.
BEEF, MOSTLY
Fresh or chilled beef is Pakistan’s biggest MEMO export, making up 56.86 percent, or $136.319 million, of its MEMO exports in 2016. This is followed by $44.726 million of chilled or frozen meat of sheep or goats, and $31.554 million of frozen meat of bovines.
Only around $3.06 million, or 1.28 percent, of Pakistan’s MEMO exports are poultry-based.
The nation hopes to change this by targeting an increase in poultry-based MEMO sales to UAE, its biggest MEMO export market, after the GCC country lifted its ban on Pakistan’s poultry and its products in February this year. UAE imposed the ban in 2006 after an outbreak of avian influenza in Pakistan.
UAE imported an estimated $725.247 million of poultry products in 2016, 66.2 percent, or $480.224 million, of which came from Brazil.
READ MORE ABOUT PAKISTAN'S MEAT TRADE:
Pakistan govt explores markets for export of meat, dairy products
Pakistan strengthening its halal ecosystem, putting 'religion first' in accreditation
Pakistan to target UAE as major poultry exporter
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