International Food Expo Inaugurated

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 13th Sep, 2025) Punjab Food Authority (PFA) Director General Muhammad Asim Javed on Saturday inaugurated the International Food Asia Expo 2025 at expo center Lahore, describing it as a new milestone for Pakistan’s food industry, from ensuring food safety to advancing towards global exports.

The expo features over 600 national and international companies showcasing products, with 100 international delegates from 10 countries in attendance. More than 1,000 brands are set to benefit from modern innovations in food processing and packaging.

DG PFA said the authority has so far trained more than 500,000 food handlers in hygiene and food safety, while over 15,000 food outlets are inspected monthly to ensure compliance with standards. He added that a Business Facilitation Center has provided licensing services to over 2,000 food business operators, and a Halal Export Facilitation Desk has been established to support businesses in expanding globally.

Highlighting Punjab’s contribution, he noted that Pakistan’s annual food exports have surpassed $5 billion, with the province accounting for over 60 percent of the country’s agricultural exports.

To further strengthen efficiency, a digital inspection and licensing system has been launched, alongside measures to enhance Halal meat and dairy exports.

The DG shared that in FY 2024-25, PFA achieved a record recovery of Rs. 2.8 billion, while in just the first one and a half months of FY 2025-26, a historic Rs. 1 billion has already been recovered. During the same period, 246,000 new businesses were registered across Punjab. He emphasized that innovation, IT, and digitalization are being integrated into the food sector to align with international standards. Research collaborations with universities are also underway to promote innovation, traceability, and export readiness, with a target of preparing at least 5,000 food businesses for exports by 2026.

DG Asim Javed said Pakistan is emerging as a reliable global Halal food hub, calling upon food businesses to strengthen linkages and partnerships with institutions to meet future challenges.