ISLAMABAD: The federal and Punjab governments have agreed to establish a Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD)-free zone along the motorway corridor in Punjab as part of a wider plan to control livestock disease, improve surveillance and move towards an FMD-free Pakistan.
The decision was taken during a meeting between Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, who also reviewed DAP fertilizer availability and potato exports.
Under the proposed FMD-free zone, authorities will strengthen vaccination, disease surveillance, livestock movement management and outbreak response along major livestock routes.
Officials said the motorway corridor initiative would initially focus on creating a controlled disease-free area that could later be expanded to other parts of Punjab.
A livestock disease surveillance system is also being developed to track outbreaks, monitor disease patterns and allow authorities to intervene more quickly when cases are detected.
The federal and provincial governments agreed that closer coordination between livestock and agriculture departments would be essential for the success of the programme.
The meeting also reviewed the availability of diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer ahead of the crop season.
Officials discussed measures to maintain uninterrupted supplies, prevent shortages and ensure that fertilizer reaches farmers on time.
Potato production and exports were another major focus of the meeting, with the two sides agreeing on the need to explore new international markets for Pakistani potatoes.
Rana Tanveer Hussain said expanding export destinations could help reduce pressure on the domestic market during peak production periods while improving returns for farmers.
He called for stronger market intelligence, identification of potential importing countries and greater facilitation for exporters seeking access to new markets.
The federal minister said disease-free livestock production, reliable access to agricultural inputs and diversified export markets were important for building a more resilient agriculture economy.
He added that coordination between the federal and provincial governments would be strengthened to address farmers’ concerns and improve the performance of the agriculture and livestock sectors.
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