ISLAMABAD: Due to the efforts of SIFC, there has been a phenomenal increase in the exports of agricultural and food products during the financial year 2023-2024.
For the first time in the country’s history, agro exports have increased from $5.8 billion to $8 billion with an increase of 37%, compared to the same period of 2022-2023, there has been a significant increase in the exports of this agro export sector.
This increase indicates the growing importance of Pakistan’s agriculture sector in the global market and the revolutionary initiatives of SIFC.
Exports of rice are 3.8 billion dollars, sesame seeds are 410 million dollars, corn exports are 421 million dollars, meat exports are 507 million dollars and onion exports are 224 million dollars. Along with this, the exports of fruits and spices have increased many times, in which the king of fruits, mango, has increased by 12.74%, while the exports of spices have increased by 7.8%.
According to Chief Executive Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Zubair Motiwala, the opening of the Chinese market for Pakistani meat has significantly increased meat exports. With the round-the-clock efforts of SIFC and the Ministry of Commerce, new markets in Jordan, Uzbekistan, Lebanon and Egypt have also been opened for the export of meat. Along with this, Pakistan has also exported cherries to China for the first time.
He said that we are giving equal attention to non-traditional products for exports. In addition, with the recent passage of new legislation, the export of inland fisheries (aquaculture) has also been allowed. By reaching this level of development, Pakistan’s agricultural sector can achieve the target of 10 billion dollars in the current financial year.