The Punjab government has rolled out a Rs149.9 billion public-private investment plan aimed at overhauling the province’s meat and dairy value chains, with a goal of pushing Pakistan’s livestock exports past $4 billion. The plan centers on building modern slaughterhouses, upgrading processing facilities, tightening disease control, reforming supply chains and expanding support for farmers.
Documents reviewed by Wealth Pakistan describe livestock as one of the country’s most underdeveloped export sectors, one with significant room to grow if backed by the right infrastructure and policy support.
Targeting a Bigger Share of Global Meat Markets
At present, Pakistan’s meat exports total just $517 million, representing a mere 0.3 percent of the global meat trade. The bulk of that trade goes to a handful of Gulf markets: the UAE takes the largest share at 38.4 percent, followed by Saudi Arabia at 29.1 percent, Kuwait at 9.4 percent and Qatar at 6.3 percent.
The Punjab meat dairy investment plan is designed to change that picture by improving compliance with international standards and helping local producers compete more effectively on the global stage.
Under the proposed structure, the government will contribute Rs59 billion in financing support, while private investors are expected to inject a further Rs70 billion into the livestock value chain. The plan covers the full production cycle, from farm-gate livestock all the way through to chilled and frozen meat, edible offal, processed meat products, by-products, and the gelatin and collagen industry.
Where the Money Will Go
Specific investments outlined in the plan include meat processing plants costing Rs2.7 billion each, modern slaughterhouses and offal processing units at Rs2.1 billion per facility, commercial-scale feedlots priced at Rs750 million per unit, corporate feedlots at Rs4 billion each, and integrated meat packing houses also costing Rs4 billion apiece.
Within the meat value chain specifically, private sector investment is projected at Rs65 billion, with the government adding a Rs19.1 billion subsidy to help strengthen certification systems and meet international compliance requirements.
Expected Gains in Jobs, Yields and Exports
According to the documents, the initiative could raise milk and meat yields by 25 percent, generate more than 15,000 jobs each in the meat and dairy sectors, and lift meat exports by as much as 200 percent. Officials also expect post-slaughter losses to fall by 12 percent and milk and meat imports to shrink by roughly $40 million.
Beyond the meat sector, the Punjab government has proposed parallel investments in dairy, including new milk processing facilities, milk collection centres, cold chain logistics, livestock financing options, farmer training programmes, disease control initiatives and broader supply chain support.
Taken together, the Punjab meat dairy investment plan represents one of the province’s most ambitious efforts yet to modernize its livestock sector and position Pakistan as a more competitive player in international meat and dairy exports.