Govt Plans Edible Oil Industrial City At Port Qasim To Boost Manufacturing.
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The federal government has formally invited the Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturing Association (PVMA) to establish a dedicated edible oil industrial city at Port Qasim, aiming to streamline processing and boost supply chain efficiency. Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry announced the initiative during the inauguration of the PVMA house on Friday, highlighting that the edible oil sector remains a cornerstone of government revenues via import duties and sales taxes.To address industrial overheads and resource constraints particularly water availability the minister proposed a public-private partnership model to build a seawater treatment plant to service industrial needs. Furthermore, the edible oil cluster forms part of a broader industrial expansion blueprint at Port Qasim, which includes a 150-acre automotive processing zone and a 250-acre apparel zone expected to generate $2.2 billion in annual exports and over 138,000 jobs in its initial phase.
The federal government has invited Pakistan’s vanaspati manufacturers to establish an edible oil industrial city at Port Qasim, with authorities offering to facilitate the proposed zone and provide necessary infrastructure and services.
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry made the proposal while addressing members of the Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturing Association (PVMA) after inaugurating the association’s house on Friday.
The minister said the edible oil industry is a significant contributor to government revenues, particularly through customs duties and sales tax collected on imports. He said the government wants to develop industrial and commercial zones at Port Qasim to attract investment, strengthen manufacturing and support exports.
Chaudhry said land-related issues at Port Qasim had been taken up and would be resolved over time. Land would subsequently be allocated to investors presenting viable business plans, according to the minister.
The government is also planning other industrial zones at the port. An automotive processing zone covering 150 acres is planned, with the capacity to be expanded in phases depending on market demand.
In addition, a 250-acre apparel zone is proposed at Port Qasim. The first phase is expected to create more than 138,000 jobs and generate annual exports of around $2.2 billion, according to the minister.
Water availability remains another challenge for industrial development at Port Qasim. The minister proposed establishing a seawater treatment plant through a business model involving the PVMA, with treated water potentially reused to meet industrial requirements.
He invited the association to work with Port Qasim on establishing and operating the water-treatment system, while stressing the government’s intention to increase private-sector participation in port infrastructure and industrial development.
The proposed edible oil city could provide manufacturers with closer access to port infrastructure and imported raw materials while creating an industrial cluster for the sector. However, the project’s investment size, timeline and detailed implementation framework have yet to be announced.
