University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Talat Naseer Pasha said the UVAS and Punjab Halal Development Agency (PHDA) are jointly organising "3rd International Halal Conference and Expo 2014" at the International Expo Centre Lahore on May 22 and 23. Addressing a meeting, he said the objective of the conference and expo is to introduce Pakistan Halal products in international markets and to conduct a technical training of professional human resource working in the local Halal industry.
He said the Pakistani Halal products are very popular in their taste and quality across the world but their marketing and branding are not being done properly. He said the conference being arranged with the collaboration of the Halal Research Council, USAID-TAP, Punjab Agriculture and Meat Company and Livestock and Dairy Development Department Punjab will help provide Pakistani halal products access to world markets. He said over 30 international meat importers from various countries including America, Malaysia, Indonesia, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain are expected to participate in the conference and expo.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Pasha said the conference will be the best opportunity to introduce Pakistan Halal products to the international participants and consequently to the international markets. He said a one-day workshop will also be arranged in which Halal value chain experts will present their research papers. He said the UVAS is producing professionals direly needed in the Halal industry. With special reference to meat, the UVAS has recently established the Department of Meat Science and Technology to cater to the needs of industry in the area of modern meat processing and hygiene.
He said the lack of workers' skills is a constraint to produce valuable quality cuts for current and future markets. "Abattoirs workers, supervisors need to comprehend basic concept of meat processing and hygiene to improve the visual appeal, eating quality and safety of fresh meat and meat products," he added. In future, the Vice-Chancellor said development of skilled manpower is going to be a continuous challenge requiring a multifarious approach to deal with. "The UVAS realised this challenge and started a 3-tier meat industry-training programme for managers, supervisors and workers with the co-operation of TAP-ASF USAID."
In this programme, mangers and supervisors from leading processors and exporters are trained as per international processing and hygiene standards. He said the UVAS has also established a meat-processing lab where a series of advanced level trainings on meat processing and value addition will be executed in the future. He said UVAS has certified food microbiology, pathology and quality operations labs equipped with most modern technologies, which will play an active role in the capacity building of Halal meat industry.