PM for expanded global market access for agri products

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday ordered a coordinated push to increase the country’s agricultural exports, directing authorities to expand access to global markets and find new destinations for the country’s farm products. Chairing a high-level meeting on the promotion of agriculture and agricultural exports, the prime minister said effective coordination and partnership between the Centre and provinces was essential to increase farm productivity, bringing innovation to agriculture, developing the livestock sector and promoting exports. He also directed commercial officers posted at Pakistan’s missions abroad to play an effective role in promoting agricultural exports. READ MORE: Revitalizing Pakistan’s agricultural exports: a call for effective strategies The prime minister said value addition in agricultural products was indispensable for increasing agricultural exports, while the meeting considered a proposal to develop value chains for the purpose. According to a briefing, Pakistan’s agricultural exports stood at USD 5. 18 billion in the last financial year. Rice, fisheries, Halal meat, potatoes, sesame, tobacco, mangoes and maize were among the country’s prominent agricultural exports. The briefing identified China, Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Gulf countries as important markets for Pakistan’s agricultural exports. PM Sharif directed the authorities to launch an effective media campaign to raise farmers’ awareness about the mobile application available for crop monitoring. The meeting considered a proposal for a Digital Farmers’ Diary-Agristack, under which farmers across the country and agricultural land records would be digitised. Records relating to land and water testing would also be digitised under the proposed system. A Pakistan-Good Agriculture Practices (Pak-GAP) system would be developed to promote agricultural practices producing better results, the briefing said. The meeting also considered measures to facilitate agricultural exporters through agricultural financing facilities. The National Agriculture and Food Security Council would be activated, the meeting was informed. Chief Ministers would represent their respective provinces on the council. The prime minister said agriculture had a key role in Pakistan’s economic growth and stability and stressed the need for continued efforts to promote the sector and increase agricultural exports. The meeting was attended by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal, Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar, IT Minister Shaza Fatima, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Kiani, and relevant senior government officials. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026

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