Pakistan’s food import bill rises 19% to $5.5 billion, exports drop 35% in FY26

Pakistan’s food import bill surged to $5.502 billion during the first seven months of the current fiscal year, marking a 19.27% increase compared to $4.613 billion during the same period last year. 

This increase was largely driven by higher imports of sugar and edible oil, reflecting the country's growing reliance on foreign food supplies amid domestic production challenges.

At the same time, food exports faced a significant decline, falling 35.21% to $2.988 billion in the first seven months of FY2025-26, down from $4.613 billion a year ago. 

Exports of most food categories, particularly rice, experienced a sharp drop, although meat exports remained stable.

The rise in food imports highlights the pressures on Pakistan’s domestic supply chains, with the country relying more on international markets for essentials. Palm oil accounted for the largest share of food imports, followed by pulses, tea, soybean oil, and sugar.

In a notable development, Pakistan imported 308,741 tonnes of sugar during July-January 2026, marking a staggering increase of 13,494.93% compared to the 2,271 tonnes imported during the same period last year. The value of sugar imports skyrocketed to $174.614 million, up from just $2.181 million last year, as the government stepped in to address sugar shortages and stabilize retail prices, which have fluctuated between Rs160 and Rs190 per kilogram in various cities.

Similarly, palm oil imports grew by 24.69% in value, reaching $2.350 billion in FY26, up from $1.885 billion in FY25. The quantity of palm oil imports rose by 15.63%, to 2.182 million tonnes from 1.887 million tonnes. This indicates increased consumption of edible oil and ghee in the country.

However, the import of pulses fell by 21.89% to $492.095 million, while soybean oil imports dropped sharply by 42.27% to $94.991 million.

The overall import bill for other food items rose by 34.37%, totaling $1.672 billion. These figures reflect the challenges Pakistan faces in balancing domestic food production with growing demand, underscoring the country’s dependence on international suppliers to meet its food needs.