Seminar on enhancing Pakistan’s fodder export held

BAHAWALPUR: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), in collaboration with the Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, successfully hosted a seminar titled “Enhancing Pakistan’s Fodder Export through Best Practices and Market Opportunities” at Bahawalpur.

This event, the third in a series following successful sessions in Multan and Rahim Yar Khan in December 2024, aimed to bolster Pakistan’s fodder export potential by promoting resource-efficient farming, compliance with international standards, and market access strategies for high-potential markets like China, Korea, and Qatar.

Moderated by Ms Hina Tahir, Deputy Director (Agro & Food Division), TDAP, the seminar convened key stakeholders, including exporters, representatives from the Department of Plant Protection, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, and trade missions from Korea and China. The event featured virtual participation from exporters, underscoring the growing industry interest in Pakistan’s fodder export sector.

Athar Hussain Khokhar, Director General (Agro & Food Division), TDAP, emphasized TDAP’s commitment to unlocking global fodder markets through innovation, compliance, and collaboration. He highlighted recent trade initiatives, including the Pakistan Animal Fodder Delegation to Qatar, which engaged six Pakistani companies in productive B2B meetings with Qatari firms like Hassad Food, Widam Food, and Baladna, fostering opportunities for Rhodes grass, alfalfa, and other fodder exports.

Dr Qamar Shakil, Chief Scientist at the Agriculture Biotechnology Research Institute, Faisalabad, shared advanced techniques for optimizing Rhodes grass and other fodder crop production, focusing on quality enhancement and sustainability to meet export market demands.

Ghulam Qadir, Trade & Investment Counsellor (Beijing), highlighted China’s position as the world’s largest feed producer and consumer, with 2024 feed imports totalling $13.74 billion. Despite Pakistan’s modest 1.84% share ($253 million), primarily in oil seeds and fish meals, Rhodes grass holds significant potential due to an approved import protocol. He urged exporters to register with China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) to activate this protocol and explore negotiations for sorghum and alfalfa, which face current restrictions. Key Chinese importers, such as New Hope Liuhe Co, Ltd and Tongwei Co, Ltd, were identified as potential partners.

Muhammad Hassan Farid, Trade & Investment Counsellor (Seoul), noted that Korea imports over 70% of its animal feed, with Pakistan’s 2024 exports to Korea reaching $2 million. He emphasized the untapped potential for cereal straw and bovine feed, contingent on establishing APQA-approved quarantine facilities in Pakistan to meet Korean regulatory standards.

Dr Khalid Zafar, Entomologist from the Department of Plant Protection provided technical guidance on GACC and APQA registration processes, detailing phytosanitary requirements, including pest control, certification, and pre-shipment inspections to ensure compliance.

Pakistan’s fodder industry, producing 55 million tonnes annually, including 5 million tonnes of alfalfa, is well-positioned to capture emerging markets. With 470,000 hectares of suitable land in Punjab and competitive production costs, Pakistan offers a cost and logistics edge, particularly for Gulf markets like Qatar, located just 1,100 km away. The recent delegation to Qatar secured strong interest from major buyers, with Hassad Food requesting product samples for Rhodes grass and Widam Food initiating vendor registration for Pakistani suppliers. Baladna, Qatar’s leading dairy producer, expressed keen interest in alfalfa, aligning with Pakistan’s high-quality offerings.

The seminar underscored the need for policy actions to enhance export competitiveness, including expanding GACC-registered exporters, expediting sorghum protocol negotiations with China, and establishing APQA-approved facilities for Korea. Strengthening technical cooperation with Chinese firms for feed processing technology and quality control was also recommended.