(Peshawar, 1 Feb 2023): The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) organized the Safe Meat Butcher Shops Competition under the Project for Agri-food and Agro-industry Development (PAFAID) -a project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) being implemented by UNIDO in close coordination with the Government of Pakistan.
The competition results were announced. The aim of this competition was to strengthen food safety compliance by strengthening the capacity of butchers in Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and by applying at their business points in your Project target districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province namely: Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan, Abbottabad, and Kohistan. A joint committee comprised of UNIDO and KPFS&HFA teams selected the most compliant butchers’ shops as winners of the competition. Mr. Shahrukh Ali DG KP Food Safety and Halal Food Authority (KPFS&HFA) and Dr. Gabor Molnar Project Officer from UNIDO headquarters distributed the model meat shop equipment to 35 butcher shops. The equipment includes chillers, deep freezers; bone saw cutters, teflon sheets, meat mincing machines, digital weighing scales, insect killers, PPEs, and thermometers.
The event also included the launch of the Slaughterhouse/Abattoir Investor’s guide which aims to help investors navigate the unique mix of challenges present in the existing business environment; this will guide potential investors seeking to establish a modern and hygienic slaughterhouse/ abattoir in Pakistan. This handbook seeks to combine international best practices with context-specific knowledge gained from the activities of PAFAID.
Mr. Shahrukh Ali acknowledged UNIDO’s and JICA’s efforts in improving the food safety standards across the meat value chain in KP. He appreciated the technical guidance and distribution of equipment provided by UNIDO as a greatstep towards improving the food safety standards of these shops and the model would be replicated throughout the province.
Mr. Arif Baloch, Secretary Local Council Board stated that UNIDO has been closely cooperating with the department to improve slaughterhouses in KP. He also appreciated UNIDO’s share recommendations in the by-laws related to slaughterhouses which have been submitted to the relevant sections for adoption. The slaughterhouse investor’s guide developed by UNIDO would also encourage and facilitate the private sector to invest more in the sector which has great potential nationally and internationally.
Dr. Gabor Molnar stressed the importance of food safety and how it impacts individuals and society. He also shared an update on the ongoing and future activities planned under the initiative. He further extended UNIDO’s support in improving the products and compliance capacities of farmers, butchers, slaughterhouse operators, and especially women entrepreneurs working in the value chain.