Pakistan’s rice exports to China saw a significant boost in the first eight months of 2025, increasing by nearly 70% compared to the previous year, according to data from the General Administration of Customs of China.
From January to August 2025, Pakistan exported rice worth $44.31 million to China, a 68.5% rise from $26.30 million during the same period in 2024. This surge highlights Pakistan’s growing presence in China’s food market and strengthens the agricultural ties between the two nations.
An official from Pakistan’s Ministry of Commerce attributed much of the increase to semi- or wholly milled rice (HS code 10063020), which accounted for $33.67 million in exports in 2025, a significant jump from $5.63 million in 2024. Additionally, exports of broken rice also saw positive growth, reaching $7.71 million.
Analysts suggest that the rising demand for Pakistani rice is driven by its competitive pricing, quality, and taste. The momentum has been further supported by enhanced facilitation under the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement and improved collaboration between exporters and importers.
Despite the positive growth, concerns have been raised over the impact of recent floods on agricultural production. Owais Mir, Founder and CEO of Dynamic Engineering & Automation, warned that the floods could affect export volumes in the coming months. He proposed shifting focus from raw materials to finished or value-added products, recommending the adoption of advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and learning from China’s agricultural practices as a long-term solution.
In another area of agricultural collaboration, a recent experiment in Sindh showed that three Chinese flaxseed varieties—Longya-10, Longya-14, and Longxuan-1—outperformed the local Ilsi-90 variety in terms of productivity when combined with optimal fertilization.
The study, led by the Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GAAS) and Sindh Agriculture University (SAU), aimed to address Pakistan’s declining flaxseed production, which lags behind global leaders such as China and Canada. The Longya-14 variety achieved the highest yield, with improvements in plant height, branching, and oil content.
