Welcoming the reduction in electricity prices announced for the agricultural sector, meat processors and exporters have demanded the government to slash power prices for their industry too as it is an agro-based sector which with a slight push can become a US$ 10 billion earner in next few years.
"We are happy that the government has accepted the demand of the farming community to reduce power prices for them. We are also an agro-based industry which is despite not being acknowledged as an industry is earning US$ 2 billion per annum for the country," said All Pakistan Meat Processors & Exporters Association (APMPEA) Chairman Nasib Ahmad Saifi here on Friday.
Talking to Business Recorder, Saifi said that their sector was considered in the category of agriculture when banks were approached for loans or other purposes. However, practically it is considered as an industry by the government departments. But, unfortunately, this sector which is export oriented and earning handsome foreign exchange for the country is neither given incentives at par with the agricultural sector not in line with the facilities being provided to industrial sector.
He claimed that energy cost was one of very important segment in their input cost thus it was requested that the electricity should be provided on a subsidized rate to this sector as is being given to textile or any other export oriented sector, the APMPEA Association chairman added.
APMPEA Chairman regretted that Pakistan was not taking advantage of $3.6 trillion international Halal market despite being a Muslim country and having the potential to make its presence felt. He said we are not having even one percent of the total international market and need to market our potential aggressively.
Nasib Ahmad Saifi proposed that the government should urge its commercial counselors deputed abroad to work in collaboration with their organization to capture different traditional and non-traditional markets. 'We are exporting to only three markets of middle-east while India is exporting Halal meat products to over 40 countries,' he disclosed. He also called for making export refinance procedure for the meat exporting sector simple and easier.