Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan informed the National Assembly that Pakistan exported 105,690 metric tons of citrus fruit between July and December 2024, generating $30.9 million in revenue.
As per official data presented to the National Assembly last month, Afghanistan was the largest importer, purchasing citrus worth $16.72 million in the first half of FY25, followed by the UAE with $3.90 million and Indonesia with $3.30 million. These three markets collectively formed the backbone of Pakistan’s citrus export sector, contributing the majority of volume and earnings.
A total of 25 countries, including the UK, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Singapore, and Belgium, imported citrus from Pakistan during the period.
Additional markets included Oman (2,845.39 MT, $1.25 million) and Sri Lanka (2,445.96 MT, $1.14 million). European destinations such as Italy (81.38 MT, $0.28 million) and Belgium (36.40 MT, $0.17 million) saw moderate demand, while Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines (1,674.43 MT, $0.81 million) and Singapore (290.52 MT, $0.13 million) offered diversification opportunities.
Despite smaller volumes, countries like Kazakhstan, Kuwait, and Canada added value to the export portfolio. Kazakhstan imported 1,514.15 MT, earning $0.64 million, while Kuwait imported 555.88 MT, contributing $0.73 million.
The minister also outlined the country’s trade deficit trends over the past five years. The deficit stood at $23.16 billion in 2020 and climbed to $31.8 billion in 2021, reaching $48.35 billion in 2022. However, it dropped to $27.47 billion in 2023 and further declined to $24.11 billion in 2024, reflecting a gradual improvement in the trade balance.
