Food trade gap widens with imports up 14pc, exports down 32pc

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s food import bill increased by 13.81 per cent year-on-year to $7.848 billion in the first 10 months of 2025-26, driven mainly by higher purchases of sugar and edible oil, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

The latest figures also showed that exports of raw food products fell 32.02pc to $4.190bn in July-April 2025-26, down from $6.164bn in the same period a year earlier, widening the gap between food imports and exports during the review period.

The decline in exports was spread across almost all major food categories, with meat the main exception as it posted some growth. The data indicates that Pakistan’s reliance on imported food items increased during the current fiscal year.

Imports driven by sugar and edible oil

Among imported food items, palm oil accounted for the largest share, followed by pulses, tea, soyabean oil and sugar. The value of palm oil imports rose 15.41pc to $3.313bn during July-April FY26, compared with $2.871bn in the same period last year. In quantity terms, palm oil imports increased 11.77pc to 3.075 million tonnes from 2.751m tonnes.

Sugar imports recorded an exceptionally sharp increase during the period. Pakistan imported 309,157 tonnes of sugar in July-April 2025-26, compared with just 3,007 tonnes in the corresponding period last year, reflecting an increase of 10,181.25pc. In value terms, sugar imports climbed to $174.908 million from $2.978m, a rise of 5,773.35pc.

The increase followed the government’s decision to permit large-scale sugar imports to address domestic shortages and contain rising prices in local markets. Retail sugar prices remained volatile, ranging between Rs150 and Rs180 per kilogram in different cities, prompting official intervention to improve supply through imports. Officials said the move was intended to stabilise the market amid tight domestic availability as the country relied more heavily on external supplies to meet demand.

Tea imports also increased to $554.889m from $527.80m. By contrast, pulses imports declined 24.19pc to $624.38m from $823.63m, while soyabean oil imports dropped 61.15pc to $108.683m from $279.768m. The import bill for all other food items rose 35.81pc year-on-year to $2.525bn in 10MFY26.

Broad-based fall in exports

On the export side, overall rice exports in April fell 9.33pc year-on-year. Within that category, basmati rice performed strongly, with export value rising 56.12pc and quantity increasing 62.36pc. However, non-basmati rice exports declined 27.97pc in value and 24.16pc in quantity in April.

The government has announced a cash subsidy to support rice exports.

Meat exports rose 18.33pc in April, while exports of fish products increased 7pc. Most other food export categories posted negative growth. Vegetables saw the steepest decline, falling 78.38pc. At the same time, tobacco exports surged 80.29pc and spices exports edged up 2pc in April.

The PBS data points to a widening imbalance in Pakistan’s food trade during July-April 2025-26, as import growth outpaced export earnings and several major export categories remained under pressure.