{
  "id": 16564238,
  "title": "Sindh pins hopes on oilseeds",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/26/sindh-pins-hopes-on-oilseeds",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-26T01:06:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn Business",
    "slug": "dawn-business",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2039840/sindh-pins-hopes-on-oilseeds"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sindh's agricultural sector is placing emphasis on oilseeds as it grapples with a significant water shortage and seeks to reduce its dependence on imported edible oil. The area's farmers are increasingly opting for oilseed crops, especially mustard, due to the quicker economic returns they offer. Domestic oilseed production has risen by 30%, with acreage growing only by 4%, mainly because wheat farmers are shifting to mustard. This shift in planting patterns could potentially lower Pakistan's reliance on foreign edible oil imports, which amounted to 3.48 million tonnes in the fiscal year 2026, costing $3.78 billion. The price of imported palm oil surged to $1,078 per tonne from $1,056 during the same period. Pakistan imported 4.52 million tonnes of edible oil in 2025, including 3.671 million tonnes as raw oil and 0.853 million tonnes derived from imported oilseeds. Pakistan’s edible oil import bill for 2025 stood at $5.86 billion for 4.52 million tonnes, with sesame exports factored in increasing this share to 13% of domestic demand. The National Oilseeds Enhancement Programme (NOEP) has been running since 2019, with the federal government contributing 40% of the costs. Its results have been impressive, particularly in sesame production, where acreage, production, and export values have skyrocketed in Punjab. In Sindh, sesame cultivation has increased from 34,420 acres in 2021 to 38,730 acres in 2025, while production has risen from 6,313 tonnes to 7,183 tonnes. The revised programme aims to expand oilseed cultivation in Sindh and Balochistan.",
  "summary": "Cultivation of Rabi crops, including wheat and oilseeds, has begun in lower Sindh amid a 22pc irrigation water shortage forecast by Irsa. Farmers in Sindh are increasingly turning to oilseed crops, particularly mustard, for quicker economic returns. Greater domestic production could help reduce Pakistan’s dependence on imported edible oil, which consumes substantial foreign exchange. Pakistan…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}