Pakistani beef gets opportunity to enter Chinese market

BEIJING: As China has a supply gap of beef and Pakistan has sufficient capacity, it was hoped that Pakistani beef will soon enter the Chinese market, says a report published by China Economic Net (CEN).

According to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2019-20, more than 8 million rural households in Pakistan engage in livestock production which contributes to 35% to 40% of their total income.

Over the years, animal husbandry has surpassed farm production and become the biggest contributor to value-added agriculture.

Pakistan has 208 million food animals, with a milk output of over 60 million tons and an annual production of 20 billion eggs, Khurshid Ahmad, Animal Husbandry Commissioner, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, said.

Compared with Pakistan, China is a large meat importer. In 2020, China’s beef production reached 6.72 million tons, and the import volume reached 2.1183 million tons with an increase of 27.65%, setting the beef import record.

China’s annual output of beef and mutton adds up to 10 million tons, said Li Jinghui, Deputy Secretary General of China Animal Agriculture Association and President of White-feathered Broiler Alliance, adding that “China’s per capita output is a few kilograms, which fails to meet domestic needs. That’s why there are millions of tons of imports.”

The report says, China is a major meat importer while animal husbandry plays an important role in the economy of Pakistan, yet annual meat trade between the two countries is very small.

So far, China has not opened the door of Pakistani beef import, as Pakistan is still on China’s “List of Animals and Their Products in the Countries and Regions with A Prevalent Animal Epidemic Situation Banned for Entry”.

Chinese research institutions are providing Pakistan with state-of-the-art technology, said He Cheng, a professor at China Agricultural University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, adding that “with vaccines and training personnel, Pakistan can produce certified and FMD free meat and dairy products, which is our goal.”

On the site selection of FMD free zone, Shen Jing, Deputy General Manager of QYH Biotech, with China Animal Husbandry Industry as its shareholder, revealed that they plan to build the FMD free area in either Balochistan province or Punjab province, and carry out the construction with the support of Chinese customs and quarantine agencies.

There is a long history of animal husbandry cooperation between China and Pakistan. As early as 1974, Guangxi province, China, imported 50 Nili-Ravi buffaloes, popularly known as “black gold” of Pakistan, initiating the bilateral scientific and technological cooperation.

Chen Yiyi, President of Royal Group, a leading buffalo milk production and processing enterprise in China, led a Chinese business delegation to Pakistan, the hinterland of buffalo milk production around the world, in April.