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ISLAMABAD, Feb 4 (APP):Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Professor Ahsan Iqbal on Wednesday said Pakistan has the capacity to become the world’s leading dairy producer if productivity gaps and supply chain weaknesses were addressed through technology, better management and value addition.
Addressing a National Dairy Conference here, he highlighted the country’s strong livestock base but said low per-animal yield, high wastage and limited processing were preventing Pakistan from fully benefiting from its dairy potential.
“Pakistan is the fourth largest milk-producing country in the world, but our average dairy yield is around 1,800 to 2,000 litres, whereas leading countries have reached 8,000 to 14,000 litres,” he said.
“If we only double our dairy productivity, we can become the number one milk-producing economy in the world,” he added
The minister said the sector’s untapped potential was being lost due to weak management systems and insufficient value addition.
“Nearly 15 percent of our milk production goes to waste and less than 10 percent is processed, while over 90 percent remains in the informal and unhygienic sector,” he noted.
He stressed the need for modern milk collection networks, cold chains and processing infrastructure to reduce losses and improve quality for both domestic consumption and exports.
He said organized corporate farming and technology-driven livestock management must be expanded beyond a limited number of model farms.
“Why can’t dairy products made in Pakistan be found on shelves around the world like Danish and New Zealand products?” he asked, stressing “We must move towards value addition and branded dairy exports.”
Linking dairy development with poverty reduction, Ahsan Iqbal said the sector directly supported rural households. “This is a sector that directly addresses rural poverty. Even the poorest farmers earn their livelihood from one or two buffaloes. If their milk productivity increases, it will have a major social and economic impact,” he added.
He said the government was integrating livestock development with its broader export-led growth strategy under Uraan Pakistan, where exports had been made the central pillar of economic planning.
He said district-level export development plans were being prepared in collaboration with Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) to identify and promote region-specific products, including dairy.
The minister also highlighted the role of research and innovation, referring to the establishment of national centers for livestock and genomics to promote modern breeding, disease control and productivity enhancement through science and technology.
“A policy is like a seed, it only delivers results when it gets continuity and the right enabling environment,” he said, stressing that long-term consistency in reforms and sectoral policies was essential for transforming dairy into a high-value export industry.
He urged stakeholders, investors and experts to work jointly to modernize the dairy value chain, saying Pakistan had both the natural resources and market opportunity to emerge as a global dairy leader.