Pakistan's meat exporters need to take a bigger slice of the global halal market

© Khunaspix Dreamstime.

Pakistan’s halal meat export trade could reach $500m in the next five years if industry is supported by a more co-ordinated government facilitation and promotion plan for the country’s livestock farmers, according to Naseeb Ahmad Saifi, Convenor of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Standing Committee on Halal Meat Export. A report in the Pakistan Business Reporter quotes Mr Saifi observing that as a Muslim agrarian country with good livestock production, Pakistan should be achieving a much bigger share of today’s $600bn-dollar plus annual market in halal products to serve a global Muslim population of some 1.86 billion people – 30% of the total world population.  Neighbour India is already exporting $23bn of halal foods per annum.  Halal products now make up 18% of the world food market, according to Mr Saifi, including a US halal market valued at $17.60bn and a $67bn halal products market in Europe.