PM Shehbaz calls for higher farm output, boost in agricultural exports

By Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday called for coordinated federal and provincial efforts to increase per-acre farm productivity, modernise agriculture, develop the livestock sector and boost agricultural exports. Chairing a high-level meeting on the agricultural sector and exports, the prime minister said agriculture played a key role in Pakistan's economic growth and stability. He stressed the need for coordinated measures to expand access to global markets, identify new export destinations and promote value addition in agricultural products. The prime minister directed Pakistan's commercial officers posted abroad to play an effective role in promoting agricultural exports. He also ordered an effective media campaign to raise awareness among farmers about a mobile application available for crop monitoring. According to a briefing, Pakistan's agricultural exports amounted to $5.18 billion during the last fiscal year, with rice, fisheries, halal meat, potatoes, sesame, tobacco, mangoes and maize among the country's major agricultural exports. The meeting proposed developing value chains to increase agricultural exports, with China, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Gulf countries identified as key markets for Pakistani agricultural products. The National Agriculture and Food Security Council will also be activated, with chief ministers representing their respective provinces. The briefing also proposed creating a Digital Farmers' Diary-Agri Stack to digitise farmers' data and agricultural land records nationwide, including records of soil and water testing. A Pakistan Good Agriculture Practices (Pak-GAP) system was proposed to promote farming practices that deliver better results. The government also plans to facilitate agricultural financing for exporters to support the sector's growth and increase exports. The prime minister emphasised that stronger coordination, modern technology, value addition and improved financing were essential to making Pakistan's agriculture more productive and competitive in international markets. The meeting was attended by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, Climate Change Minister Musadik Masood Malik, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, IT and Telecom Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja and other senior officials.