The cheese industry in Pakistan has evolved significantly over the last 10 years and continues to

grow as the demand for dairy products increases. The country has a large population of cattle and
buffalo, making dairy a significant source of income for farmers and the national
economy(Kanza et al., 2017). The majority of the cheese consumed in Pakistan is made from
buffalo milk, which has a higher fat content than cow's milk and is therefore used for making a
variety of cheese products (Ashfaq, 2018).

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Pakistan's
dairy industry has been growing steadily in recent years. In 2018, the country was ranked 11th in
the world in terms of milk production, producing around 38 million tons of milk per year. This
has led to a growth in the production of cheese, as the dairy industry in Pakistan seeks to add
value to its dairy products by turning milk into cheese (FAO, 2019).

In terms of exports, Pakistan's dairy industry has been increasing its exports of dairy products,
including cheese, in recent years. According to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan
(TDAP), the country exported dairy products worth US$52.6 million in 2019, an increase of 3%
compared to the previous year. This growth in exports indicates the increasing demand for dairy
products, including cheese, both domestically and internationally (TDAP, 2020).

The increase in demand for cheese in Pakistan has led to a growth in the number of small- and
large-scale dairy farms and cheese production facilities(Sameen et al., 2010). The establishment
of these facilities has provided employment opportunities and created an environment for the
development of new cheese products(Doosh and Abdul-Rahman, 2014). In addition, the
government of Pakistan has taken steps to regulate the dairy industry and promote the export of
dairy products, including cheese (Ahmed and Kanwal, 2004).

However, despite the growth in the cheese industry in Pakistan, there are still several challenges
that need to be addressed. One of the main challenges is the lack of quality control and
standardization in the production of cheese. This has led to concerns about the safety and quality
of the cheese being produced, which has had a negative impact on the reputation of the dairy
industry in Pakistan (Khan et al., 2019).

To address these challenges, the government of Pakistan has taken steps to regulate the dairy
industry, including the introduction of new regulations for the production of cheese(Gulzar et al.,
2021). In addition, the dairy industry has also invested in new technology and research to
improve the quality of cheese products and increase production efficiency. This has led to an
improvement in the quality of cheese produced in Pakistan and a rise in consumer confidence
(Shaukat et al., 2022)

The cheese industry in Pakistan has undergone significant growth and development over the last
10 years. However, there are still several challenges that need to be addressed, including the need
for quality control and standardization in production. Despite these challenges, the future of the
cheese industry in Pakistan looks positive, with the government taking steps to regulate the
industry and the dairy industry investing in new technology and research to improve the quality
of cheese products.
References:

Ahmed, T. and Kanwal, R. (2004) ‘Biochemical characteristics of lactic acid producing bacteria
and preparation of camel milk cheese by using starter culture’, Pakistan Veterinary Journal,
24(2), pp. 87–91.

Doosh, K.S. and Abdul-Rahman, S.M. (2014) ‘Effect of lysozyme isolated from hen egg white in
elongation the shelf life of Iraqi soft cheese made from buffalo milk’, Pakistan Journal of
Nutrition, 13(11), p. 635.

Gulzar, N., Sahar, A., Sameen, A., Shabbir, M.A., Rafiq, S. and Arshad, R. (2021) ‘Influence of
mozzarella and cheddar cheese mixing on biochemical characteristics of pizza cheese blends.’,
Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 58(4).

Kanza, K., Majeed, M., Sameen, A., Khan, M.U., Shariati, M.A. and Karapetkovska-Hristova, V.
(2017) ‘Impact of cheese whey protein on growth performance of broiler: An approach of cheese
whey utilization in poultry feed’, J Microbiol Biotech Food Sci, 6(4), pp. 1117–1120.

Khan, U.M., Ahmad, I., Inayat, S., Amin, H.M.A. and Selamoglu, Z. (2019) ‘Physicochemical
properties of Cheddar cheese made from Citrus reticulata Blanco crude flowers extract’, Turkish
Journal of Agriculture-Food Science and Technology, 7(6), pp. 856–860.

Sameen, A., Anjum, F.M., Huma, N. and Khan, M.I. (2010) ‘Comparison of locally isolated
culture from yoghurt (Dahi) with commercial culture for the production of mozzarella cheese’,
International Journal of Agriculture and Biology, 12(2), pp. 231–6.

Shaukat, A., Nadeem, M., Qureshi, T.M., Murtaza, M.A., Luqman, M., Rukh, L. and Shahid,
M.B. (2022) ‘ANTIOXIDANT POTENTIAL OF CHEDDAR CHEESE PREPARED FROM
COW AND BUFFALO MILK DURING RIPENING’, J. Agric. Res, 60(3), pp. 243–249.

FAO. (2019). Dairy Development in Pakistan. Retrieved from

http://www.fao.org/ag/againfo/programmes/en/empres/Pakistan/Dairy.html

TDAP. (2020). Exports of Dairy Products from Pakistan. Retrieved from

https://www.tdap.gov.pk/Products/Dairy-Products.asp
Ashfaq, M. (2018). The dairy industry in Pakistan. Retrieved from
https://www.slideshare.net/MohammedAshfaq10/the-dairy-industry-in-pakistan.