CHALLENGES OF MEAT PRODUCTION & TECHNOLOGY IN PAKISTAN

Published: November 20, 2011

By: Hamid Ahmad

Summary

Pakistan has not been able to effectively apply a systematic approach for meat production and the predominantly agriculture country stands far away in meat sufficiency. While the main functional use of our cattle and buffalo has been for milk and as draft purposes. Pakistan possesses all types of animals except pigs. Lamb, sheep and goat meat is popular in this order but the price hikes in sheep & goat meat is changing the priority towards comparatively cheaper beef. The ruthless middleman system of live animal trade in the country is and has been an impediment to meat animal production. It prevents the animal raisers from justified compensation of their efforts and inputs. Govt. has neither been unable to break the monopoly of wholesale dealers in markets nor provide an alternate system so far. Insufficient feed supply is another important impediment towards improved stocks. Buffalo, a dual purpose animal in the subcontinent, holds high potential for the future meat and milk supply of the region. Regulatory control & prevention of a large number of buffalo calves slaughter can add significant amount to our national meat supply. Some scientific studies have shown that buffalo meat (beeflo) has better and preferable meat quality parameters as compared to beef. Tenderness, leanness and marbling get better scores for beeflo than beef at the same age & under similar conditions. On the other hand milk potential of our buffalo breeds in terms of quality and quantity is already well established. So, there is strong and dire need to deeply investigate this under-researched dual purpose animal. Pakistan needs to develop its meat production, meat science and technology on modern scientific & hygienic lines. Public awareness needs up-gradation regarding nutrition, balanced diet and the importance of animal proteins in the diet for different age groups. Another important area is graduate and post-graduate education and training and curricula development in the field of livestock products technology with special reference to meat technology. Meat eating habits and our typical cooking practices (curry making) need scientific evaluation. There is much more emphasis laid on dairy products & projects as compared to meat in our public and private sector policies which needs balancing. Development and implementation of national and international Halal Food Standards, specially for trade in meat and meat products, in the light of WTO / SPS would improve regional & global Halal meat trade as well as meat production. Keywords: meat, production, technology

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