The positive growth in food exports, coupled with a reduction in imports, highlights Pakistan’s progress in leveraging its agricultural and food production capabilities to bolster trade balance and reduce dependency on food imports.
Food group exports from Pakistan witnessed significant growth of 19.58 per cent during the first five months of the current financial year, reaching $3.155 billion compared to $2.638 billion in the same period last year, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
The increase was largely driven by a 35.40 per cent surge in rice exports, which reached 2.377 million tons valued at $1.515 billion. This marks a sharp rise compared to the 244,664 metric tons worth $286.778 million exported in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Exports of fish and fish preparations also showed slight growth of 0.21 per cent, with 75,314 metric tons worth $162.334 million exported, compared to 72,600 metric tons valued at $162 million last year.
The fruit sector recorded a 3.47 per cent increase, earning $132.577 million from the export of 220,705 metric tons. Vegetable exports saw an even higher growth rate of 24.88 per cent, bringing in $110.221 million from 338,173 metric tons.
Declining Imports
Other commodities demonstrating robust growth included tobacco, which surged by an impressive 348.48 per cent to $75.116 million for 20,771 metric tons, and sugar, which skyrocketed by 833.68 per cent, earning $196.717 million from 353,550 metric tons. Meat and meat products also posted a modest 2.80 per cent increase, with 47,503 metric tons valued at $201.586 million exported during the period.
Conversely, food group imports into Pakistan declined by 11.13 per cent, amounting to $2.977 billion compared to $3.350 billion in the same period last year.
The positive growth in food exports, coupled with a reduction in imports, highlights Pakistan’s progress in leveraging its agricultural and food production capabilities to bolster trade balance and reduce dependency on food imports.
The latest figures underscore the potential of Pakistan’s food sector as a driver of economic growth, with significant contributions from rice, sugar, tobacco, and meat exports.
