LAHORE, Oct 18 (APP):Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Sunday inaugurated the CM Punjab Livestock Card Phase-II, setting a vision to transform the province into a regional livestock hub after 400,000 animals were prepared in a year, generating billions of rupees in profits for rural farmers and driving a 43 percent increase in animal exports.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony here, the Chief Minister highlighted that the Livestock Card initiative enabled farmers to earn a net profit of Rs 27,000 per animal. She stated that the provincial government is actively expanding livestock production, strengthening animal health standards, and opening new avenues to international markets.
CM Maryam Nawaz disclosed that eight Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) free compartments have already been notified in Punjab, while seven more will be established this year. This step aims to meet stringent international animal health standards and facilitate livestock exports to China, Europe, and the United States.
Under the program, a total of 129,581 animals have been exported so far, including 20,000 from Lahore, 24,297 from Bahawalpur, 12,529 from Faisalabad, 21,000 from Gujranwala and Gujrat, 27,000 from Multan, 22,000 from Sargodha, and 2,661 from Sahiwal.
To bolster the meat value chain, the provincial government plans to establish five modern meat processing plants, five modern slaughterhouses, meat packing facilities, commercial-scale feedlots, and corporate feedlots. Furthermore, the government will extend Rs 19 billion in financing subsidies, alongside an anticipated Rs 65 billion in private investment in the meat value chain.
For the first time in Punjab, an FMD vaccine production unit is being established under a public-private partnership with an investment of Rs 28 billion.
Under the newly established Livestock Connect System, direct linkages have been created with 1,725 fattening farms, 20 export slaughterhouses, 88 meat exporters, and 34 meat traders to bridge the gap between rural producers and global markets. The initiative has also empowered women, increasing the number of registered rural female livestock farmers from 90 to 1,107.
Reaffirming her government’s commitment, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said Punjab aims to connect local livestock farmers with national exporters and global digital platforms to strengthen its position in the international trade market through enhanced production, modern processing, and robust disease control.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
