ISLAMABAD: The business community on Wednesday appreciated the government for establishing Veterinary Residue Laboratory in Faisalabad and said it would help to boost meat preparations.
In a statement, Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF) chief Mian Zahid Hussain said that Pakistan has acquired the capability to issue the certificate for the safety of food that would boost exports.
Pakistani exporters were focused on the Middle East and other countries where safety standards were not stringent. But now with the establishment of Veterinary Residue Laboratory in Faisalabad, they can export food like beef and mutton to US and EU markets, said a press.
Zahid Hussain said that the laboratory, established by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, has recently earned an international organization for standardization (ISO) accreditation, which is a great achievement.
He said that now Pakistani exporters will get the facility of ISO certification at home saving their time and money while chances of rejection of consignments will come down significantly as EU had rejected 134 consignments from Pakistan in one year.
The laboratory can text one thousand samples per annum which must be enhanced as Pakistan is producing good quality food and meat in the world with very little export, he observed. The business leader said that Pakistani livestock farmers use different medicines to keep the animals healthy but it can result in rejection if the residue is found in the meat.
The latest development can increase the share of livestock in the GDP which currently stands at 12 per cent while government can consider establishing a dedicated ministry for this vibrant sector. There are around 45 food and meat export institutions and their number is bound to swell by the establishment of the laboratory, he said.
