Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain held a meeting with Punjab Minister for Agriculture Syed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain Kirmani to review key agricultural and livestock issues, including Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), availability of DAP fertilizer, and the production and export of potatoes.
The meeting was attended by the concerned Provincial Secretaries and Directors General of relevant departments, who participated in discussions on disease control, fertilizer availability and crop management.
The meeting focused on strengthening coordination between the federal and provincial governments to address challenges confronting farmers and livestock owners and to ensure timely policy measures for sustainable growth of the agriculture sector.
During the meeting, the Federal and Punjab Governments agreed to establish an FMD-free zone along the motorway corridor in Punjab as part of a coordinated strategy to control and ultimately eradicate Foot-and-Mouth Disease from the province and pave the way for achieving an FMD-free Pakistan.
The initiative will focus on strengthening disease control, vaccination, movement management and surveillance mechanisms along major livestock movement routes. The two sides agreed that effective coordination between federal and provincial departments would be essential for making the designated zone successful and gradually expanding disease-free areas.
The meeting was informed that a disease surveillance system is being developed to continuously monitor the prevalence and spread of livestock diseases, enabling authorities to identify outbreaks at an early stage and take timely preventive and control measures. The system will also facilitate better coordination between relevant departments and improve disease reporting and response mechanisms.
Discussing fertilizer availability, particularly DAP, the participants reviewed the measures being taken by the federal and provincial governments to ensure adequate availability of DAP fertilizer for farmers during the crop season. The meeting emphasized close coordination among relevant departments to maintain a smooth supply, address any emerging shortages and ensure timely availability of fertilizer to farmers.
The meeting also discussed the potato sector, with particular focus on production planning, market access and exports. On the advice of Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain emphasized that potato production and marketing should be managed this season with a stronger focus on exploring new international export markets.
The Federal Minister said that expanding export destinations would help create sustainable demand for Pakistani potatoes, reduce market pressure during peak production and provide better returns to farmers. He stressed the importance of market intelligence, identifying potential importing countries and facilitating exporters in accessing new international markets.
Rana Tanveer Hussain underscored that the federal government is committed to working closely with provincial governments to resolve farmers’ genuine concerns and strengthen Pakistan’s agriculture and livestock sectors.
He said that disease-free livestock production, availability of agricultural inputs and diversified export markets were essential components of a resilient and competitive agriculture economy. He emphasized that federal-provincial coordination would be further strengthened to translate these priorities into practical measures for the benefit of farmers, livestock owners and the national economy.
