Islamabad April 21 2025: Pakistan Food imports during the first 9 months, July to March, of the current financial year decreased by 2.74 percent as compared to the imports of the corresponding period of the last year.
During the period from July to March 2024-25, imports of food commodities went down from USD 6.290 billion to USD 6.118 billion, according to the data of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
The commodities that witnessed negative growth in their respective imports included wheat, 100 percent, against USD 1.0 billion imports (3.5 million tons) last year while imports of tea declined 5.45 percent, and were recorded at USD 468.248 million as compared to the imports of 495.217 million of the same period of the last year.
In the first 9 months, the imports of sugar into the country also decreased by 1.75 per cent as 2,673 metric tons of sugar valued at USD 2.627 million were imported as compared to the imports of 2,794 metric tons worth of USD 2.674 million of the same period of the last year.
However, the imports of commodities, including dry fruits & nuts, grew by 116.86 percent, reaching USD 123.317 million as compared to the imports of USD 56.864 million. The import of spices grew by 29.11 percent and recorded at USD 171.496 million, compared to the imports of USD 132.826 million.
The import of soyaban during the period under review grew by 116.37 percent as it stood at USD 251.137 as against the imports of USD 116.070 million and palm oil imports grew by 23.42 per cent in 09 months of current financial year, which was recorded at USD 2.572 billion as against the imports of USD 2.084 billion of the same period of the last year.
It is worth mentioning here that the Food group exports from the country during the first 9 months of the current financial year grew by 1.62 per cent as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of the last year. During the period from July-March 2024-25, food commodities worth USD 5.749 billion were exported as compared to the exports of USD 5.658 billion of the same period of the last year.
