Pakistan’s Food Exports Surge 25% in July-September on Strong Rice Shipments
Pakistan food exports surged 25.31 per cent in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, compared with the same period last year, driven largely by higher rice shipments, Dawn reported, citing Pakistan Bureau of Statistics data.
In absolute terms, food exports reached $1.388 billion in the July-September quarter of FY27, up from $1.108 billion in the corresponding period last year. Imports of raw food items rose by just 3.44 per cent in the same period, indicating a slowdown.
Rice leads the Pakistan food exports rebound
Rice did the heavy lifting. Overall rice exports surged 55.89 per cent in the quarter. Basmati shipments jumped 86.28 per cent in value and 80.21 per cent in quantity, while non-basmati rice rose 39.20 per cent in value and 43.55 per cent in quantity.
The Ministry of Commerce extended the rice export subsidy scheme by three more months, until September 30, and raised the Duty Drawback of Local Taxes and Levies (DLTL) rate for non-basmati rice to support exporters facing weak international demand.
Other gainers included meat exports, up 21.09 per cent, fish products, up 14.61 per cent, tobacco, up 44.21 per cent, and spices, up 18.94 per cent. Not every category shared in the gains: vegetables plunged 20.48 per cent and fruit fell 30.62 per cent.
The government has also allowed the export of 200,000 tonnes of sugar in the current fiscal year.
A rebound from a weak base
The surge looks stronger still against last year’s slump. In FY26, raw food exports fell 29.49 per cent to $5.017 billion from $7.116 billion the year before. The July-September rebound is the first sign that the slide may be reversing.
On the import side, the food import bill reached $2.330 billion in the quarter, up from $2.252 billion a year earlier. Palm oil accounted for the largest share of imported food items, followed by pulses, tea and soyabean oil. Palm oil imports dipped 2.30 per cent in value and 13.75 per cent in quantity, while pulse imports shrank 12.07 per cent. Tea imports rose 25.54 per cent and milk products 2.80 per cent.
In FY26, the full-year food import bill had surged 11.66 per cent to $9.150 billion. The government has already approved a plan to import wheat to plug shortfalls in local production, and Sindh recently released subsidised wheat to steady flour prices.
What it means for the economy
Food is only one leg of Pakistan’s export story, but the quarter’s numbers sit alongside other bright spots. Textile giant Interloop posted $654 million in global sales, showing that Pakistani exporters can still win abroad when conditions align.
For households, the export gains come with a familiar tension. Stronger exports support the rupee and the external account, but they can also lift domestic prices if supply tightens. Short-term inflation was running at 11.97 per cent in the latest PBS reading, and food prices remain the most politically sensitive part of that basket. The vegetable and fruit export declines, meanwhile, hint at domestic supply strains worth watching.
What happens next
The Commerce Ministry’s extended subsidy window has now closed, so the October-December quarter will test whether rice exporters can hold their momentum without it. Global rice prices, freight costs and the government’s wheat import plan will all shape the next set of PBS figures.
How much did Pakistan’s food exports grow?
They rose 25.31 per cent year on year in July-September 2026-27, reaching $1.388 billion.
Which products drove the growth?
Rice, led by basmati (up 86.28 per cent in value). Meat, fish, tobacco and spices also grew; vegetables and fruit declined.
How did food imports perform?
Food imports grew just 3.44 per cent to $2.330 billion, with palm oil and pulses declining and tea rising.
