pk-china-user By Shafqat Ali
Pakistan’s fast-growing fodder export sector is aiming to reach annual exports of up to $1 billion within the next five years, with industry leaders identifying China and Saudi Arabia as key markets critical to achieving this target.
Official trade data shows that Pakistan exported more than 930,000 tons of animal feed valued at $112.2 million during the previous fiscal year. Despite this growth, exporters remain largely reliant on a single market—the United Arab Emirates—which accounts for the majority of purchases.
A major driver of Pakistan’s export strategy is Rhodes grass, a protein-rich tropical fodder widely used for feeding dairy cattle, camels, horses, and other livestock in arid Gulf countries. Due to desert climates and persistent water shortages limiting local cultivation in the Gulf region, demand for imported fodder has steadily increased.
Industry stakeholders have urged trade authorities to pursue government-to-government agreements that would facilitate product registration and improve market access in China. Exporters argue that once regulatory approvals are secured, fodder exports to China could potentially be transported through land routes, opening new trade corridors and strengthening regional agricultural connectivity.
The sector has experienced rapid expansion in recent years. Cultivated land under Rhodes grass has reportedly grown by over 60% in the past three to four years, reaching around 120,000 acres nationwide. Large commercial farms in Sindh are now producing substantial daily volumes specifically for export markets.
With agriculture contributing approximately 24% to Pakistan’s GDP and employing nearly 38% of the workforce, industry leaders believe that access to the Chinese market could turn fodder into a significant non-traditional export category.
They maintain that if China opens its market, Pakistan’s fodder exports could multiply several times over current levels—boosting rural incomes, increasing foreign exchange earnings, and further strengthening economic ties with key strategic partners.
