For decades, Pakistan’s export story has been dominated by textiles, leaving agriculture largely viewed as a domestic sector rather than a source of high-value foreign exchange. Yet the country’s agricultural and food exports demonstrate that the export basket can extend well beyond garments and yarn.
Rice, meat, fruits, seafood, vegetables, oilseeds, nuts and spices already connect Pakistani producers to international markets.
The challenge is no longer whether Pakistan can export agricultural products, but whether it can turn these commodities into a competitive, diversified and value-added export sector to increase the total revenue output.
The scale of this opportunity became particularly visible in FY2023-24.
Pakistan’s agriculture and food exports reached $7.37 billion, up 46.8 percent from $5.02 billion a year earlier.
Rice was the dominant contributor, generating $3.93 billion,
while meat and meat preparations earned $512 million,
vegetables $430 million, fish and fish products $410 million,
oil seeds, nuts and kernels $410 million, and fruits $344 million.
Spices also increased to $110 million. These figures indicate that Pakistan possesses a considerably broader agricultural export base than is often reflected in discussions centred on textiles.
Rice, however, also illustrates both the potential and vulnerability of this model. In FY2024, rice export value surged 82.9 percent, partly benefiting from international market conditions and India’s restrictions on white-rice exports. But this momentum proved difficult to sustain.
According to the State Bank of Pakistan, non-basmati rice exports declined from $3.1 billion in FY2024 to $2.5 billion in FY2025, largely because exporters had to reduce prices amid intensified competition and abundant global stocks.
Which shows that the export growth based primarily on temporary price or market opportunities is less sustainable than growth built around productivity, branding and value addition.
Other agricultural sectors offer opportunities for diversification. Meat exports reached $530.2 million in FY2025-26, compared with $495.1 million the previous year. Pakistan has also expanded access to markets including China, Jordan, Egypt and Uzbekistan, demonstrating the potential of halal meat and processed food exports.
Meanwhile, fruits generated $308.1 million and fish and fish products $482 million in FY2025-26. Pakistan’s mangoes, citrus, dates, seafood and livestock products could therefore become stronger foreign-exchange earners if supply chains are modernised.
The problem is that export growth has remained inconsistent. Total food exports fell to $5.02 billion in FY2025-26, a 29.5 percent decline from $7.12 billion the previous year, while food imports increased to $9.15 billion.
This exposes a structural weakness: Pakistan is simultaneously an agricultural exporter and a major food importer. Low productivity, post-harvest losses, inadequate cold storage, weak packaging, inconsistent quality standards and limited processing capacity prevent producers from capturing greater value.
Seafood illustrates the cost of these weaknesses. Pakistan’s fish and fish-product exports declined sharply in FY2024, with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics identifying inadequate storage, mishandling, weak compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary standards and outdated processing machinery among the sector’s problems.
Such constraints matter because international agricultural markets increasingly reward traceability, certification, food safety and processed products rather than raw commodities alone.
Pakistan therefore needs to move from an agricultural commodity-export model to an agro-industrial export model. Investment should focus on cold-chain infrastructure, modern slaughterhouses, food-processing facilities, internationally recognised certification, seed and livestock productivity, irrigation efficiency and export-oriented research.
Small farmers also need stronger links with processors and exporters so that international demand translates into higher rural incomes rather than remaining concentrated among intermediaries.
The strategic objective should not be to replace textiles, but to reduce excessive dependence on them. Agriculture can provide Pakistan with a second major export engine which is capable of generating foreign exchange while supporting rural employment and industrial development.
Pakistan already has the land, climate, livestock base and agricultural products required to compete. What remains missing is the infrastructure, consistency and policy continuity needed to transform that potential into a durable export advantage.
SAT Commentary
SAT Commentaries, a collection of insightful social media threads on current events and social issues, featuring diverse perspectives from various authors.
SAT Commentary
SAT Commentaries, a collection of insightful social media threads on current events and social issues, featuring diverse perspectives from various authors.
The Taliban regime has sent additional forces from Shaki toward Nasi district in Badakhshan, according to reports circulating on social media, deepening a confrontation with
Since the Taliban government has been established in Afghanistan, the country presents a paradox as it has achieved a degree of political and territorial stability,
For decades, Pakistan’s export story has been dominated by textiles, leaving agriculture largely viewed as a domestic sector rather than a source of high-value foreign
Pakistan’s Agricultural Exports Beyond Textiles
For decades, Pakistan’s export story has been dominated by textiles, leaving agriculture largely viewed as a domestic sector rather than a source of high-value foreign exchange. Yet the country’s agricultural and food exports demonstrate that the export basket can extend well beyond garments and yarn.
Rice, meat, fruits, seafood, vegetables, oilseeds, nuts and spices already connect Pakistani producers to international markets.
The challenge is no longer whether Pakistan can export agricultural products, but whether it can turn these commodities into a competitive, diversified and value-added export sector to increase the total revenue output.
The scale of this opportunity became particularly visible in FY2023-24.
Spices also increased to $110 million. These figures indicate that Pakistan possesses a considerably broader agricultural export base than is often reflected in discussions centred on textiles.
Rice, however, also illustrates both the potential and vulnerability of this model. In FY2024, rice export value surged 82.9 percent, partly benefiting from international market conditions and India’s restrictions on white-rice exports. But this momentum proved difficult to sustain.
According to the State Bank of Pakistan, non-basmati rice exports declined from $3.1 billion in FY2024 to $2.5 billion in FY2025, largely because exporters had to reduce prices amid intensified competition and abundant global stocks.
Which shows that the export growth based primarily on temporary price or market opportunities is less sustainable than growth built around productivity, branding and value addition.
Other agricultural sectors offer opportunities for diversification. Meat exports reached $530.2 million in FY2025-26, compared with $495.1 million the previous year. Pakistan has also expanded access to markets including China, Jordan, Egypt and Uzbekistan, demonstrating the potential of halal meat and processed food exports.
Meanwhile, fruits generated $308.1 million and fish and fish products $482 million in FY2025-26. Pakistan’s mangoes, citrus, dates, seafood and livestock products could therefore become stronger foreign-exchange earners if supply chains are modernised.
The problem is that export growth has remained inconsistent. Total food exports fell to $5.02 billion in FY2025-26, a 29.5 percent decline from $7.12 billion the previous year, while food imports increased to $9.15 billion.
This exposes a structural weakness: Pakistan is simultaneously an agricultural exporter and a major food importer. Low productivity, post-harvest losses, inadequate cold storage, weak packaging, inconsistent quality standards and limited processing capacity prevent producers from capturing greater value.
Seafood illustrates the cost of these weaknesses. Pakistan’s fish and fish-product exports declined sharply in FY2024, with the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics identifying inadequate storage, mishandling, weak compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary standards and outdated processing machinery among the sector’s problems.
Such constraints matter because international agricultural markets increasingly reward traceability, certification, food safety and processed products rather than raw commodities alone.
Pakistan therefore needs to move from an agricultural commodity-export model to an agro-industrial export model. Investment should focus on cold-chain infrastructure, modern slaughterhouses, food-processing facilities, internationally recognised certification, seed and livestock productivity, irrigation efficiency and export-oriented research.
Small farmers also need stronger links with processors and exporters so that international demand translates into higher rural incomes rather than remaining concentrated among intermediaries.
The strategic objective should not be to replace textiles, but to reduce excessive dependence on them. Agriculture can provide Pakistan with a second major export engine which is capable of generating foreign exchange while supporting rural employment and industrial development.
Pakistan already has the land, climate, livestock base and agricultural products required to compete. What remains missing is the infrastructure, consistency and policy continuity needed to transform that potential into a durable export advantage.
SAT Commentary
SAT Commentary
SAT Commentaries, a collection of insightful social media threads on current events and social issues, featuring diverse perspectives from various authors.
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