ISLAMABAD (PEN) : The Chinese market holds immense potential for Pakistani meat exports, especially beef. In the fiscal year 2024, Pakistan’s meat and meat product exports soared to an impressive $512 million, marking a 20 percent rise from the previous year. This surge was propelled by a 24 percent increase in export volume, reaching 123,515 tonnes, driven by strong global demand and competitive pricing, particularly helped by the depreciation of the Pakistani rupee.
While the UAE and Saudi Arabia continue to be the leading destinations for Pakistani meat exports, Kuwait and Qatar are also emerging as promising markets. China, with its population of 1.41 billion and a rising appetite for imported food products, is set to become a critical market for Pakistani meat exports. Projections from the 2024 China Agriculture Outlook Conference in Beijing indicate that China’s meat consumption will reach 102.53 million tons by 2033, with a modest annual growth rate of 0.3 percent. Beef and lamb consumption is forecasted to reach 11.1 million and 6.46 million tonnes, respectively, with yearly growth rates of 1.2 percent and 1.4 percent.
Bilal Tata, CEO of Tata Best Foods, a trailblazing Pakistani company licensed by the Chinese Customs Administration to export cooked beef to China since last year, highlighted the significance of the Chinese market for Pakistan’s meat exports. “China’s role in driving Pakistan’s meat export growth cannot be underestimated,” Mr. Tata stated. “Pakistan is well-positioned to offer high-quality chilled meat from young cattle at competitive prices, allowing us to maintain a substantial share in chilled meat markets, including China.”
However, Mr. Tata acknowledged the challenges Pakistan faces in increasing its market share in China due to current restrictions that limit exports to cooked meat products. To overcome this, Tata Best Foods and other Pakistani meat exporters are actively pursuing collaborations with Chinese brands to set up production facilities in Pakistan. “Rather than exporting generic boiled beef, we are exploring partnerships with Chinese brands to bring their expertise to Pakistan, enabling us to cater to the diverse needs of the Chinese market,” he added.
Mr. Tata also stressed the importance of gaining approval to export raw meat products from disease-free zones in Pakistan to China. “We are diligently working to meet the necessary health and safety standards to ensure that Pakistani raw meat products can be exported to China,” he said. Recognizing the potential of the meat export sector, the Punjab government is playing a crucial role in certifying livestock farms as disease-free units. “Through these disease-free farms, we hope China and other countries will permit the import of raw beef from Pakistan, further boosting our exports and opening up new growth opportunities,” Mr. Tata concluded.
