Summary Kuwait, Qatar, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Kazakhstan, while China and Kyrgyzstan were among new markets.
KARACHI (Web Desk) - Meat exporters on Tuesday sought Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s intervention over the imposition of additional ad hoc charges of $0.18 (Rs50) per kilogram on meat exports by travel and visa services firm, Gerry’s Dnata, warning the move could disrupt shipments and erode Pakistan’s market share.
Pakistan exported meat, including beef, mutton and poultry, worth $512 million in fiscal year 2023-24, according to the country’s statistics bureau. Exporters say the ad hoc charges will total $180 per ton, sharply increasing logistics costs.
According to Pakistani officials, the country’s halal meat production stands at 6 million metric tons, of which a substantial quantity is available for export after meeting the local demand.
The All Pakistan Meat Exporters and Processors Association (APMEPA) said on Tuesday they were operating in a highly competitive global market where even small increases in logistics costs could determine market share.
“Pakistan’s exporters require stable, predictable and rational logistics costs in order to remain competitive in global markets,” APMEPA Chairman Mian Abdul Hannan said, warning that the “sudden and unilateral cost increases” could undermine the credibility of Pakistan’s export supply chain.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) remained Pakistan’s top meat export market, with exports reaching $201 million in 2023-24, according to the PBS. Pakistan’s meat exports to Saudi Arabia recorded a growth of 65.1 percent at $141 million. Other major destinations included
Kuwait, Qatar, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Kazakhstan, while China and Kyrgyzstan were among new markets.
In Dec, PM Sharif approved Pakistan’s halal meat export policy and directed authorities draw up a three-year action plan aimed at targeting Muslim and global markets.
The APMEPA said it has approached the commerce ministry and urged it to halt what it described as “unauthorized and unjustified charges” imposed on exporters, which will make Pakistani meat less competitive.
“At a time when the country is striving to increase exports, any additional charges imposed on exporters must be carefully examined to ensure they do not weaken Pakistan’s export competitiveness,” Hannan added.
