Pakistan turns buffalo genetics into export gold

June 11, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan and China have signed a landmark Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) for the export of high-value buffalo genetic material, which marks a historic step toward transforming the country's livestock sector into a foreign exchange earner.

Under the deal, the Royal Group of China has established a state-of-the-art embryo, semen and ova production facility in Pakistan for the collection, processing and export of buffalo embryos, semen and sexed semen to China.

Initial imports are valued at approximately $5 million, with annual exports projected to reach $25 million, generating valuable foreign exchange and opening new international markets for Pakistan's livestock industry.

The agreement was finalised by Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Animal Husbandry Commissioner Dr Syed Murtaza Hassan Andrabi, who led sustained diplomatic, technical and regulatory efforts in coordination with Chinese counterparts.

The MTA serves as a safeguard mechanism for Pakistan's genetic resources, ensuring controlled access, regulated transfer and protection against misuse or unauthorized exploitation, while also securing the country's intellectual property rights over its buffalo genetics.

The agreement ensures compliance with the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and Pakistan's domestic legal framework governing access to genetic resources, according to a press release issued.

Pakistan's Nili-Ravi buffalo breed, globally recognized for its superior milk production and genetic characteristics, is expected to be the primary source of exported material, with the initiative aimed at positioning Pakistani buffalo genetics as an internationally recognized brand.

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