PM Shehbaz calls for coordinated push to lift agricultural exports
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged federal‑provincial coordination, digital tools and value‑addition to boost Pakistan’s agri‑exports, which reached $5.18 billion last FY.
Share
Desk Analysis
How This Affects the Exchange
Sector Effect
Positive · Buy bias
Agriculture‑related sectors like Fertilizer benefit from higher export drive – Buy bias on related tickers.
Sectors & Direction
Desk read
Desk call: Buy bias · Positively affected
- FertilizerPositively affected
- EconomyPositively affected
- MarketsPositively affected
Companies
Companies Mentioned
- ISL· Positively affected · Buy bias
Mentions in This Briefing
Sectors: Fertilizer, Economy, Markets — Positive · Buy bias. PSX tickers: ISL. Agriculture‑related sectors like Fertilizer benefit from higher export drive – Buy bias on related tickers.
Full Story
Open on Dawn## Government meeting on agriculture promotion
On 11 September 2026, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a high‑level meeting focused on enhancing the agriculture sector and expanding export markets. He emphasized that tight coordination between the federal and provincial governments is essential to raise per‑acre productivity, introduce modern farming innovations, develop the livestock segment and increase agricultural exports.
## Action points for export expansion
The prime minister directed commercial officers at Pakistan’s overseas missions to actively market Pakistani farm produce and to explore new destinations. An intensive media campaign will be launched to inform farmers about a mobile application that monitors crop conditions, aiming to improve on‑farm decision‑making.
## Value‑addition and digitalisation
Shehbaz highlighted that adding value to raw agricultural goods is crucial for export growth. Proposals were presented to develop value chains for key commodities such as rice, fisheries, halal meat, potatoes, sesame, tobacco, mangoes and maize. The meeting also approved the creation of a "Digital Farmers’ Diary‑Agri Stack" to digitise land records, soil and water test data, and a Pakistan‑Good Agriculture Practices (Pak‑GAP) system to standardise best‑practice farming.
## Export performance and target markets
Agricultural exports totaled $5.18 billion in the last financial year. China, Saudi Arabia, Iran and the Gulf states were identified as priority markets for future growth. The National Agriculture and Food Security Council will be re‑activated, with chief ministers representing their provinces, to oversee implementation of the agreed measures.
## Financing support
The meeting recommended that specialised agricultural financing facilities be made available to exporters, helping them to scale up production, meet quality standards and fulfil international orders.
## Outlook
If the coordination and digital initiatives are implemented effectively, Pakistan’s agri‑export basket could expand, supporting related industries such as fertilizer, food processing and logistics.