Food waste in Pakistan costs $4 billion annually, says report

As per the news report on Tuesday, a shocking report in Pakistan has revealed that food waste is worth USD 4 billion annually.

Pakistan wastes 26% of its food production, i.e., 19.6 million metric tonnes a year. Most food items are wasted because they do not meet the criteria of appearance, size, and colour, despite the steps taken to ensure food security, as per the report by Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security and Research.

According to media reports, the majority of food items are excluded from the supply chain and wasted for a variety of reasons.

The majority of food items stored in kitchens are wasted annually after their expiration date, as highlighted in the report. Despite being an agricultural country, Pakistan is facing a shortage of food items, particularly after recent floods and heavy rain. During a review meeting in Islamabad on the Kissan Package, which is designed to develop the agricultural sector, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the government to expedite its implementation. He stressed the importance of ensuring food security in Pakistan and noted that the development of the agriculture sector is the key to achieving this goal, as per the media report.