ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has begun upgrading its foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) testing capacity, grazing systems and cold-chain infrastructure as it targets up to $200 million in halal meat exports to Malaysia, according to an official statement issued on Thursday.
The push comes as Pakistan seeks deeper access to Southeast Asia’s high-value halal markets, where strict animal-health and traceability requirements have historically limited exports. The government says technical upgrades and regulatory compliance are now central to its strategy to diversify beyond traditional sectors and expand processed food exports.
Malaysia is among Southeast Asia’s most regulated halal meat markets, relying heavily on imports from Australia, New Zealand and India to meet domestic demand. The country’s halal certification standards are considered a benchmark across the region, with strict requirements on disease control, cold-chain management and slaughtering processes. Gaining deeper access to Malaysia not only expands Pakistan’s presence in a high-value consumer market but also opens pathways into wider ASEAN halal supply chains, industry officials say.
On Thursday, a high-level meeting of the Prime Minister’s Committee on Meat Exports to Malaysia was held, co-chaired by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Haroon Akhtar Khan.
“The committee proposed an ambitious target of USD 200 million worth of meat exports to Malaysia,” a statement released by the press information department said.
Minister Khan highlighted “the need to upgrade Pakistan’s grazing areas, establish FMD vaccine laboratories, and introduce targeted incentives for exporters, calling these measures essential and time-critical for tapping into the Malaysian market.”
He highlighted that a “collaborative business model is being developed with private exporters to streamline and boost meat shipments.”
SAPM Haroon Akhtar reaffirmed that a “comprehensive export strategy” was being crafted on the prime minister’s directives and Pakistan was “fully prepared and globally compliant for the export of boneless meat, while work continues on a viable framework for bone-in meat exports.”
A draft export plan will be submitted to the prime minister after consultations with industry stakeholders, the statement said, adding that as the SAPM underscored the importance of improving processing systems, cold-chain infrastructure and export-ready mechanisms to enhance Pakistan’s competitiveness in international markets.
