Author Tahir M. Jatthol, Head of Exports, Iqbal Group of Companies
Introduction Turning Agricultural Potential into Commercial Reality
Soybean is one of the most important oilseed crops in the global agricultural economy. It provides protein rich meal for animal feed and edible oil for human consumption, making it particularly critical for the poultry, livestock, and food processing industries. For Pakistan, developing a sustainable domestic soybean supply chain could help diversify oilseed production, strengthen agricultural linkages with industry, and create opportunities for value addition and exports.
However, the discussion around soybean production must move beyond agricultural potential alone. The real question is not simply whether Pakistan can grow soybean, but whether it can produce the right varieties, at a competitive cost, with consistent quality and reliable volumes to meet the requirements of domestic industry and international buyers.
Non-genetically modified (non-GMO) soybean production deserves particular attention in this context. It may offer opportunities in markets and applications where non-GMO identity, traceability, and specific quality standards attract commercial demand. Yet non-GMO production should not be treated as an automatic guarantee of higher prices or export success. Its commercial viability depends on buyer requirements, seed availability, agronomic performance, processing costs, certification, and market access.
The way forward requires a coordinated approach in which farmers produce according to market demand, researchers develop commercially suitable varieties, academia supports applied research, and industry participates from the beginning rather than entering the discussion only after the crop has been developed.
1. Why Non-GMO Soybean Matters to Pakistan
The Pakistani poultry sector depends heavily on a reliable supply of protein rich feed ingredients. Soybean meal is a primary source of protein in poultry feed formulations, while soybean oil has major applications in food processing and other industries.
Domestic soybean production could contribute to a more diversified supply base, reduce exposure to international supply disruptions and foreign exchange pressures, and create new income opportunities for farmers. Nevertheless, domestic cultivation alone will not automatically reduce feed costs. The economics must account for local yields, seed costs, irrigation, harvesting, transportation, crushing efficiency, and the cost of imported alternatives.
Non-GMO soybean may also provide an opportunity to develop a differentiated supply chain for buyers who specifically require non-GMO raw materials. Such a system would require identity preservation, appropriate testing, segregation during storage and transportation, and reliable documentation throughout the supply chain.
It is important to distinguish between non-GMO soybean production and conventional soybean production. Non-GMO describes the genetic status of the crop, while conventional production describes a farming system that may or may not involve genetically modified varieties. Likewise, organic certification is a separate standard with additional production and certification requirements. Pakistan must therefore establish a clear commercial case for non-GMO soybean rather than assuming that the label alone will create a premium market.
2. Domestic Utilisation Must Come Before Export Ambitions
The first priority should be to develop a viable domestic market for locally produced soybean. The poultry feed industry provides a logical starting point because of its requirement for consistent protein quality, dependable supply, and competitive prices.
A practical domestic utilisation strategy should focus on three areas
- Poultry feed and livestock nutrition Soybean meal must meet the nutritional and quality specifications required by feed manufacturers. Protein content, moisture, oil content where relevant, contamination risks, and other agreed parameters should be evaluated against established industry standards.
- Oil extraction and value addition Domestic crushing facilities could create additional value through soybean meal and soybean oil. However, investment decisions must consider plant utilisation, seed availability, extraction efficiency, operating costs, and the relative economics of locally produced and imported soybeans.
- Food and industrial applications Where suitable varieties, processing systems, and market demand exist, non-GMO soybeans may support food ingredients and other specialised applications. These markets should be developed according to actual buyer specifications rather than assumed demand.
The poultry industry should be involved in establishing procurement specifications and conducting feeding and formulation trials. These trials can determine whether locally grown soybean and its processed meal deliver the required nutritional performance without increasing the cost of the final feed.
A domestic offtake arrangement between growers, processors, and feed manufacturers could provide greater confidence to farmers before planting. Such arrangements should include transparent quality parameters, indicative volumes, pricing mechanisms, and clearly defined responsibilities. The principle is straightforward. Farmers need a credible market, and industry needs a commercially competitive product.
3. Industry Must Be Involved Before the Seed Reaches the Field
One of the most persistent weaknesses in agricultural development is the gap between scientific research and commercial demand. Researchers may develop a promising variety, and farmers may be encouraged to cultivate it, but the initiative can struggle if industrial buyers are consulted only after production has taken place.
Industrialists make investment decisions based on financial viability. Their concerns include landed cost, consistency of quality, production scale, processing efficiency, supply reliability, and the ability to compete with imported commodities. These are legitimate commercial considerations, not barriers to agricultural development.
Industry should therefore participate in the selection and development of soybean varieties from the beginning. Research programmes should consider the requirements of poultry feed manufacturers, oilseed processors, food companies, and potential export buyers before recommending varieties for large scale cultivation.
A variety that performs well in a research plot but fails to meet industrial specifications may have limited commercial value. Similarly, a variety that offers excellent quality but delivers poor yields or requires expensive inputs may not be economically sustainable. The objective must be to develop varieties that balance agronomic performance, quality, cost, and market acceptance.
4. Academia Must Move Beyond Traditional Research Support
Universities and agricultural institutions have an essential role in building the soybean value chain in Pakistan. Their contribution should extend beyond theoretical studies, academic publications, and isolated research projects. Academia must actively support researchers through field access, laboratory facilities, technical expertise, research funding proposals, student involvement, and partnerships with commercial stakeholders.
Universities can help develop joint research programmes, organise field demonstrations, conduct economic assessments, and train farmers in modern crop management practices. They can also facilitate independent evaluation of crop performance and feed quality.
Most importantly, academic institutions should help researchers translate their findings into practical recommendations that farmers and industrial buyers can use. Research outcomes should be measured not only by publications and completed experiments, but also by their adoption in the field, improvements in farm economics, acceptance by industrial users, and contribution to a commercially sustainable soybean supply chain.
5. Researchers Must Step Out of the Laboratory and Into the Market
Researchers are central to the development of competitive soybean varieties. However, successful agricultural innovation requires direct engagement with the realities of farming, processing, and trade. Researchers should work in farmers fields, observe regional growing conditions, evaluate input costs, understand harvesting challenges, and consult feed manufacturers and processors about their quality requirements.
The research agenda should prioritise
- Varieties suited to local agroecological conditions, planting windows, and cropping systems
- Competitive yields and reliable performance under local water and climate conditions
- Appropriate protein, oil, and other quality characteristics for the intended end use
- Resistance or tolerance to locally relevant pests and diseases
- Efficient harvesting, storage, and post harvest handling
- Verified non-GMO identity and practical systems for maintaining segregation
- Farm level profitability compared with competing crops
- Processing performance and acceptance by domestic industrial buyers
Multi location field trials should be conducted across relevant production areas and seasons. Their results should include not only yield data but also input costs, gross margins, quality analysis, and buyer feedback. The ultimate objective is to develop a commercially adoptable soybean production system, not merely a technically successful crop.
6. Farmers Must Produce Against a Defined Commercial Requirement
Farmers should not be expected to invest in a new crop without clear information about its market, production costs, and expected returns. Before expanding soybean acreage, the proposed system should establish suitable growing areas, verified seed sources, agronomic recommendations, crop financing options, and credible procurement arrangements.
Pilot programmes can connect selected farmers with research institutions, processors, and feed manufacturers. Participating farmers could receive technical guidance and access to agreed purchasing arrangements, subject to the quality and volume requirements of the programme. Procurement prices should reflect transparent market references, quality specifications, and agreed commercial terms. Industry should not be expected to pay an uneconomic premium simply to support domestic production, and farmers should not be expected to absorb the full cost of developing a new supply chain.
Where public policy objectives justify additional support, targeted assistance for research, certified seed multiplication, demonstrations, testing, and traceability may help address early stage costs without permanently distorting market prices. The long term goal should be a system that remains viable after initial project support has ended.
7. From Domestic Consumption to Export Development
Exports should be the next stage of a proven production and processing system, rather than the starting point of the strategy. Pakistan should first establish whether domestic production can meet the specifications and commercial requirements of local buyers at a competitive cost. Once the supply chain demonstrates consistent quality, traceability, and reliable volumes, export opportunities can be assessed.
Potential export channels may include non-GMO soybeans, soybean meal, soybean oil, and specialised food grade products. Each product has different buyers, quality requirements, processing economics, and regulatory obligations. Demand must be verified market by market.
An export oriented programme should undertake the following
- Identify target buyers and obtain written product specifications
- Confirm applicable import regulations, food and feed safety requirements, and documentation
- Establish testing and verification procedures for non-GMO identity where required by the buyer or destination market
- Develop segregated storage, transportation, and processing arrangements where identity preservation is necessary
- Evaluate freight, handling, testing, certification, duties, and other landed cost components
- Conduct commercial samples and pilot shipments before committing to large scale export volumes
Pakistan should not assume that non-GMO soybean will automatically command a premium in international markets. Some buyers may prioritise price and nutritional specifications, while others may pay for verified non-GMO status. Export decisions must be based on confirmed demand and realistic net returns.
A successful export strategy will emerge from the combination of competitive production, industrial processing, credible quality assurance, and reliable commercial relationships.
8. A Permanent Committee for Industry, Academia, Research and Media
A sustainable soybean initiative requires institutional coordination rather than occasional meetings between stakeholders. The establishment of a permanent Pakistan Soybean Industry Academia Research Coordination Committee, with media representation as a supporting member, provides a clear structural solution.
The committee should include representatives from
- Industry Poultry feed manufacturers, soybean processors, edible oil companies, food manufacturers, exporters, and relevant industry associations
- Academia Agricultural universities, crop science departments, agricultural economics departments, and food science institutions
- Research Relevant public and private agricultural research organisations, plant breeders, seed specialists, and soil and crop scientists
- Farmers Grower representatives from potential soybean producing areas and relevant farmer organisations
- Government and regulators Relevant agricultural, seed, food safety, and trade authorities
- Media Agricultural and poultry journalists who can communicate verified research findings, explain market developments, and highlight successful field practices
The committee should have a defined mandate, an annual work programme, measurable targets, and a permanent secretariat hosted by an appropriate agricultural or industry institution. Its responsibilities should include identifying industrial demand, agreeing on research priorities, evaluating varieties, coordinating field trials, assessing commercial viability, facilitating farmer buyer linkages, and monitoring progress towards domestic utilisation and exports.
The committee should also ensure that industrial buyers remain informed throughout variety development and field testing. Commercial stakeholders should have the opportunity to assess preliminary results and provide feedback before large scale cultivation is promoted. Media participation should focus on evidence based reporting, knowledge sharing, and public awareness. It should not replace independent scientific evaluation or serve as a substitute for commercial due diligence.
9. A Practical Plan of Action
The proposed approach can be implemented in four distinct phases.
- Phase I Market Assessment and Coordination Establish the permanent committee, quantify domestic industrial demand, identify target production zones, assess existing research and seed availability, and define buyer approved quality specifications.
- Phase II Research and Field Validation Select promising non-GMO varieties, conduct multi location trials, assess production costs and quality, and arrange field visits involving farmers, researchers, and industrial buyers.
- Phase III Commercial Pilot and Domestic Offtake Contract or coordinate pilot production with participating farmers. Process trial lots, conduct quality testing, evaluate feed performance where appropriate, and compare the final economics with imported alternatives.
- Phase IV Scale Up and Export Readiness Expand only where agronomic performance and buyer acceptance are demonstrated. Develop traceability and identity preservation systems, verify export market requirements, and pursue commercial export opportunities supported by confirmed demand.
Each phase should have measurable indicators. These may include yield per hectare, cost per tonne, farmer gross margin, percentage of production meeting buyer specifications, industrial offtake volumes, repeat purchases, and verified export orders. Progression from one phase to the next should depend on empirical evidence rather than predetermined acreage targets alone.
Collaboration Is the Missing Link
The non-GMO soybean opportunity for Pakistan should be approached as an integrated agricultural and industrial development programme. The objective is not simply to encourage farmers to grow another crop, nor to ask industry to purchase locally produced soybean at any price. It is to create a commercially viable supply chain in which every participant has a clear role and a reasonable economic incentive.
Academia must move past the traditional boundaries of institutional support and actively enable applied research. Researchers must move beyond the laboratory and engage directly with farmers, processors, and buyers. Industry must remain involved throughout variety development, field validation, and commercial trials rather than being presented with a finished product that may not meet its requirements.
Farmers must receive credible technical support and access to markets, while government and relevant institutions should facilitate research, seed systems, testing, and coordination. Media can help maintain public awareness and communicate verified progress. A permanent committee bringing these stakeholders together would provide the institutional mechanism needed to align research with market demand.
The guiding principle should remain clear and purposeful. Develop the variety with industry, validate it with researchers, support it through academia, grow it with farmers, and scale it only when the economics and market demand justify the investment. If Pakistan can establish this collaborative model, non-GMO soybean may become a meaningful contributor to domestic feed security, agricultural diversification, industrial value addition, and selective export development.