Pakistan’s food exports dropped sharply in June 2025, falling by 32% compared to June last year. They also declined 37% from May 2025, according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The total value of food exports stood at $367.7 million, down from $584.5 million in May and $544 million in June 2024. This fall is a serious concern, as food exports are a key source of foreign income for the country.
Rice exports were hit especially hard, falling by 14.7% overall. Basmati rice exports declined 5.3% to $830 million. Non-basmati rice faced a steeper drop of 17.4%, totaling $2.5 billion. Vegetable exports also suffered, shrinking by 14.5% to $367.6 million. Meanwhile, fruit exports decreased by 10.3%, and meat exports dipped 3.2%, bringing in $495 million.
However, not all sectors performed poorly. Fish and seafood exports increased by 13.4%, reaching $465 million. Sugar exports saw a massive 1,851% surge, bringing in $411.1 million. Tobacco exports also performed well, growing over 300% from last year and 16.3% from May 2025. These gains helped limit the overall impact of the food export decline.
Despite the food export slump, Pakistan’s total exports for the fiscal year 2024-25 rose by 4.45%, reaching $32.0 billion. Imports in June 2025 dropped to $4.87 billion, which is 6.97% less than in May and 1.85% lower than June 2024. This slight trade balance improvement may offer some relief amid the food sector’s downturn.
The government and exporters now face pressure to stabilize food exports, especially rice and vegetables. Addressing supply chain issues, improving crop yields, and opening new markets could help reverse the decline. Without such steps, the downward trend may continue to hurt Pakistan’s economy in the coming months.