Pakistan Seeks to Salvage Halal Meat Exports to Malaysia After Quality Complaints

Islamabad, October 29, 2025 — Senior Pakistani officials have convened an inter-ministerial meeting to address complaints from Malaysian importers over the quality of halal meat shipments, in a move aimed at unlocking an estimated $200mn annual export opportunity.

The gathering, chaired by commerce minister Jam Kamal Khan on Monday, included federal minister for national food security and research Rana Tanveer Hussain and special assistant to the prime minister on industries and production Haroon Akhtar Khan, alongside representatives from relevant ministries and private sector exporters. Discussions centred on regulatory barriers, disease controls and compliance standards that have constrained Pakistan’s access to one of Southeast Asia’s most stringent yet lucrative markets.

Malaysia represents a strategic foothold for Pakistan in the global halal economy, projected to reach $2.7tn-$2.8tn by 2025 and expand at an annual rate of 9 per cent through 2033. Bilateral trade ties, reinforced by a quota agreement signed on October 6 for $200mn in meat exports, underscore the potential: Pakistan’s shipments to Malaysia totalled $515mn in 2024, though this pales against imports of $960mn from the Southeast Asian nation. Yet persistent issues—ranging from foot and mouth disease (FMD) restrictions that bar bone-in exports to inconsistent supply chains—have left Pakistani producers at a disadvantage compared with competitors such as India, which faces no such prohibitions.

Mr Khan described Malaysia as “low-hanging fruit” for the sector, provided challenges in price competitiveness and halal certification are resolved. “The government is determined to strengthen Pakistan’s meat export base and secure greater access to high-value international markets,” he said, aligning the effort with prime minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directive for a comprehensive policy framework.

Mr Akhtar Khan highlighted the urgency, noting that FMD controls and the bone-in ban “undermine Pakistan’s competitiveness”. Broader constraints, including poor feed quality and limited financing for farmers, exacerbate the problem, according to exporter feedback. Pakistan’s livestock industry, which employs more than 8mn people and accounts for 60 per cent of agricultural GDP, stands to gain significantly from reforms that could ripple into Middle Eastern and European markets.

The meeting yielded concrete steps: four committees were established to focus on FMD surveillance and vaccination, breed enhancement, feedlot expansion and exporter facilitation. Mr Hussain committed his ministry’s support, citing progress in Punjab’s containment efforts that will extend nationwide. Collaboration with the ministry of science and technology will bolster certification processes, while Sindh’s port infrastructure in Karachi is earmarked for logistical upgrades.

Deadlines are stringent—a short-term action plan due within four days, followed by a full policy outline in 10. “The forthcoming policy will focus on disease control, halal certification and infrastructure development, in coordination with provincial governments and the private sector,” Mr Khan said.

For exporters, the agenda promises tangible relief: access to subsidised vaccines via federal portals, alignment with Malaysia’s JAKIM standards through free Trade Development Authority audits, and potential 20 per cent savings on logistics via China-Pakistan Economic Corridor-linked cold chains.

The initiative fits into Islamabad’s wider export diversification drive amid fiscal pressures. Success could add $1bn-$2bn to revenues over five years, per industry estimates, while lifting rural incomes in livestock-dependent regions. In the context of Malaysia’s halal market growth—forecast at 6.2 per cent compound annual growth through 2031—this could reposition Pakistan as a reliable supplier, narrowing the bilateral trade gap and bolstering its foothold in a sector where demand shows no sign of abating.