Punjab has asked the federal government to move ahead with a clear policy framework for beef exports, while stressing that national agriculture and livestock policies must remain aligned with provincial priorities.
The issue came up during a meeting between Punjab Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Syed Ashiq Hussain Shah and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar Khan, where both sides discussed stronger coordination between the federation and provinces.
During the meeting, the Punjab minister said meat and produce from around 300,000 livestock in Punjab are currently available for export, as these animals already meet the required health and other export criteria.
He sought clarity on the procedure for moving forward and emphasized that Punjab should be taken on board in shaping future federal agriculture and livestock strategies.
Haroon Akhtar Khan said that, under the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the government is committed to strengthening agriculture and livestock to support exports and economic growth.
He added that a comprehensive meat export policy has already been prepared, while the Ministry of Industries is also working on a National Tractor Policy and a separate policy for local harvester production after consultation with stakeholders.
