Edible oil imports, including palm oil and soybean oil, increased significantly during the first 10 months of the current financial year compared to the same period last year, according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
From July to April 2024-25, Pakistan imported over 2.75 million tons of palm oil valued at $2.87 billion, up from 2.5 million tons worth $2.3 billion in the same period last year. Soybean oil imports also rose sharply to 262,001 metric tons worth $279.6 million from 108,205 metric tons valued at $116.6 million last year.
In April 2025 alone, palm oil imports reached 260,907 metric tons worth $289 million, compared to 235,093 metric tons valued at $216 million in April 2024, marking a 37.9 percent year-on-year increase. Soybean oil imports for the month totalled 24,347 metric tons valued at $28.5 million, up from 500 metric tons valued at $530,000 the previous year.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s food exports declined slightly by 1.04 percent during the 10-month period, totaling $6.16 billion compared to $6.23 billion last year. Food imports grew by 0.56 percent to $6.86 billion from $6.82 billion in the same period.
