Food exports rise 7.68pc in first 2 months of FY27, indicating trend reversal

In Pakistan's first two months of fiscal year 2026-27, food exports experienced a significant 7.68% increase, marking a reversal of the negative trend observed in the previous fiscal year. The surge in exports was primarily attributed to a rise in the sale of rice, according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. Food imports, on the other hand, saw a modest 2.23% growth, driven mainly by an increase in the purchase of powdered milk and tea.

The government has taken steps to address the supply and demand imbalance by approving a plan to import wheat to compensate for local production shortages.

The increase in food exports can be attributed to the growth in exports of various products, including fish products, tobacco, oilseeds, and meat. Rice exports particularly saw a substantial rise of 24.68% in 2MFY27, with basmati rice exports increasing by an impressive 53.03%. Non-basmati rice exports also grew by 9.99%. The commodity-wise data further indicated that exports of fish products and meat surged by 3.23% and 22.53% respectively.

However, not all food products saw growth. Vegetables experienced a significant decline of 27.28%, while fruits saw a larger drop of 36.42%. Other foods, such as tobacco, recorded a dramatic increase of 121%, and spices grew by 8.29%. Palm oil, which accounted for the largest share of imported food items, saw a slight decline of 1.41% in value but still maintained a negative growth rate of 13.40% in quantity.

Imports of pulses also decreased by 23.84%, while soyabean oil faced a staggering 99% decline in value during the period.