Pakistan’s edible oil imports are expected to reach 3.4–3.5 million tonnes in 2025 as domestic demand continues to climb, Abdul Rasheed Jan Mohammad, chief executive of the Westbury Group, said on Friday.
As per reports, speaking at an industry conference in Bali, he noted that imports had already hit 3.07 million tonnes between January and October, exceeding the 3 million tonnes recorded in 2024. “This is a huge increase going on … and this is primarily because of the surge in the population growth and also certain economic development,” he said.
Pakistan imported between 2.9m and 3m tonnes annually from 2022 to 2024. In the first 10 months of 2025, the country also brought in 2.2m tonnes of oilseeds.
During a recent meeting on edible oil regulation, officials highlighted that nearly 30 per cent of Pakistan’s annual edible oil consumption — over 4.5m tonnes — consists of unbranded, loose oil sold largely in semi-urban and rural markets.
Experts warned that such loose oil, commonly sold without packaging or labelling, often contains impurities, harmful chemicals and biological contaminants. They said the widespread use of unregulated oil poses significant health risks, including heart disease, strokes and neurological complications.
