Duty-free livestock imports for export farms: PM orders foot-and-mouth plan

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has approved duty-free imports of high-yield livestock breeds for special farms that will raise the animals for export, Radio Pakistan reported after a meeting on the livestock sector on Monday 5 October 2026. The aim is to grow Pakistan's meat exports, about $530 million in 2025-26, mostly to the Gulf.

What the PM approved

1. Special export farms that import superior, high-yielding breeds, raise them and export them.
2. No import duty on livestock brought in for these farms. The exact duty being waived and the date it takes effect have not been notified yet.
3. A modern tagging system so every exported animal can be traced.
4. Restructuring of the livestock sector "on corporate lines", with private-sector expertise.
5. A roadmap within two weeks to eliminate foot-and-mouth disease, the main reason Pakistani meat is shut out of many markets.
6. International certification of slaughterhouses and third-party checks against global standards.

The sector in numbers

Figures from the government briefing, as reported by Radio Pakistan and Dawn. At today's rate of Rs 277 a dollar, $530 million is roughly Rs 147 billion a year; check any conversion on our currency converter.

Why it matters

Dawn notes that small farms and fragmented supply chains have held exports back, and that disease surveillance, foot-and-mouth disease-free zones and halal certification are already in progress. Gulf buyers pay for chilled and frozen meat that is certified disease-free, and Malaysia and China require slaughterhouses that pass foreign inspection. That is why the PM tied the duty waiver to tagging and certification.

What it means for you

• Farmers and investors: the duty waiver applies to animals for the special export farms, not to ordinary imports. Wait for the SRO from the Federal Board of Revenue or the Ministry of National Food Security before you place an order abroad.
• Meat buyers at home: nothing changes yet. More export demand can push up local mutton and beef prices over time, while imported high-yield breeds are meant to raise output.
• Starting a farm: register the business first; our guides on business registration explain the steps.

We will update this story when the duty exemption is notified.