Pakistan

Trans fats furore: High levels and poor labelling prompts calls for renewed action in Pakistan

15-Sep-2020 By Pearly Neo

Pakistani scientists have reiterated calls for better regulatory measures to control trans fatty acid (TFA) levels in local food and beverage products following findings that TFA was found to be very prevalent in the food supply, but rarely labelled correctly.

Wawamum working: Supplementation with World Food Programme product reduces anaemia, stunting and wasting among children in Pakistan

03-Sep-2020 By Guan Yu Lim

Daily 50g supplementation of fortified chickpea paste, known as Wawamum, significantly reduced anaemia, stunting and wasting in children under two years of age in Pakistan.

Bitter-sweet revelations: Pakistan sugar millers deny corruption findings as accusations fly

11-Jun-2020 By Pearly Neo

The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) has categorically denied all findings levelled against them by a government-led inquiry into the state of the nation’s sugar industry, which claimed they cheated both consumers and producers out of billions.

COVID-19 and food safety: Food adulteration and wastage continues unthwarted in Pakistan despite supply concerns

02-Jun-2020 By Pearly Neo

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, food and beverage adulteration has continued unhindered in Pakistan with authorities having had to seize and discard thousands of units of dairy, fruits, spices and other items despite continuing food supply fears...

COVID-19 payback: Pakistan flour industry calls for tax exemptions in light of ‘hard work’ during pandemic

22-Apr-2020 By Pearly Neo

The flour industry in Pakistan has requested the government to exempt or at least subsidise all flour mills from taxes that would normally have to be paid in light of the sector’s significant contributions to food stability throughout the COVID-19 pandemic...

Pakistan sugar wars: No end in sight as import tax enforced and investigations launched on mills

08-Apr-2020 By Pearly Neo

Pakistan has enforced an import tax on sugar entering the country, adding another layer of complexity to the country’s ongoing war between sugar cane farmers and sugar mills.

Too little too late? Pakistan issues new COVID-19 guidelines for food industry amidst rampant rumours and speculation

25-Mar-2020 By Pearly Neo

Pakistan’s Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has recently issued a set of COVID-19 guidelines aimed at the food industry in hopes of controlling the outbreak, amid rampant rumours and speculations about the virus in the country.

Pakistan food crisis: Government looks to reduce prices amidst skyrocketing hikes and IMF pressure

09-Mar-2020 By Pearly Neo

The Pakistani government aims to reduce the skyrocketing prices of basic food items in the country by reducing taxes, amidst an unsuccessful bid to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reduce its tax collection target.

Pakistan’s sugar wars: Punjab proposes 10000% penalty increase for illegal sugarcane dealings as tensions rise

19-Feb-2020 By Pearly Neo

The government of Pakistan’s most-populated province, Punjab, is trying to halt the ongoing ‘sugar wars’ in the country between sugarcane millers and growers by raising the maximum penalty for illegal dealings by 10,000%.

Halal food leaders: Malaysia, Australia and Pakistan retain top APAC spots in Global Islamic Economy report’s Top 10 list

18-Dec-2019 By Pearly Neo

Malaysia, Australia and Pakistan have retained their positions as the top-ranking APAC countries in the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report’s Top 10 Halal Food listing.

Health hazards: Food adulteration in Pakistan escalates into gunfire as tainted products detected by the tonne

15-Oct-2019 By Pearly Neo

Pakistan’s Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has detected and discarded thousands of kilogrammes of adulterated food and beverage items over the past month, with over 100 brands deemed to be ‘unsafe’, amidst its efforts to intensify inspections in the province.

It’s a date: Pakistan eyes US$6mn worth of fruit and vegetable exports by 2022

18-Sep-2019 By Pearly Neo

Pakistan is looking to raise the value of its international fruit and vegetable exports to hit the PKR1bn (US$6.2mn) mark within the next three years, banking on a new marketing strategy and plan with a focus on dates, mangoes, potatoes, onions and kinno...

Taxes galore: Pakistan to double sugar taxation as part of effort to secure IMF bailout funds

19-Jun-2019 By Pearly Neo

The Pakistani government will be doubling the country’s sugar tax to 17% as well as implementing a raft of other levies, as revealed in the country’s recent Federal Budget 2019-20 announcement.

Pakistan’s adulteration ‘crisis’: Food safety department raids yield thousands of kilos of tainted products

17-Jun-2019 By Pearly Neo

Food safety raids conducted by food safety departments across Pakistan have yielded thousands of kilogrammes of adulterated food products, ranging from tea to milk and spices.

PepsiCo’s $1bn investment in Pakistan’s snacks sector endorses country’s evolution

12-Feb-2019 By Gill Hyslop

PepsiCo’s senior VP Krista Pilot has confirmed the snack giant is investing $1bn in Pakistan over the next five years.