LAHORE: University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore arranged a 'post-budget dialogue focusing livestock sector' in which representatives from poultry, dairy and meat industries and senior university faculty discussed the budget implications especially on poultry, dairy and meat sectors here on Thursday.

UVAS Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Nasim Ahmad and Vice-Chancellor University of Education Lahore Prof Dr Talat Naseer Pasha co-chaired the session. The dialogue participants recommended that dairy, poultry and meat should be included in the zero rated sectors with focus on reducing the input cost of livestock related businesses. It was demanded that the general sales tax and duties concessions enjoyed by agriculture sector should also be extended to the dairy, meat and related industries in true letter and spirit. The participants also recommended enhancing import duty on skimmed milk.

At the same time a great concern was shown by poultry industry stakeholders that the government has started intervening in the price fixing of poultry/broiler meat which will have severe negative repercussions for this industry.

The representatives from Pakistan Dairy Association stressed on the need for reverting back the increased sales tax on value added products which has been proposed to increase from 10percent to 17percent. They pointed out that heavy import duties/taxes on main feed ingredients are badly affecting the poultry feed industry of Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, UVAS Vice Chancellor Prof Nasim Ahmad said that UVAS was playing the leading role of a think-tank and is arranging such debates for the larger benefit of society. He also emphasized the impact of policy research papers produced by CAPRIL at UVAS Business School.

Prof Dr Talat Pasha emphasized on taking necessary steps to revive the poor farmer who is being crushed based on the fact that he is not being given due share out of long struggle of dairy farming. He emphasized that the UVAS Center for Applied Policy Research should extensively work on policy issues as torch bearer for livestock sector as a neutral actor.

Earlier UVAS Business School and CAPRIL Director Prof Dr Rana Muhammad Ayyub, explained the impact of the federal and Punjab budgets 2020-21 on dairy, poultry and livestock sector as a whole. He explained custom duties, subsidies and investment opportunities related to livestock sector in this budget.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021