Federal Minister for Food Rana Tanveer Hussain has revealed that Pakistan’s food exports dropped to $1.95 billion between July and November, compared to $3.15 billion during the same period last year, a staggering 38% decrease.
Addressing the Lahore Chamber on Friday, the minister described the situation as highly alarming and identified several factors contributing to this troubling trend.
Rana Tanveer Hussain highlighted key reasons behind the steep fall in agricultural exports, including low per-acre yields, insufficient investment in research and development, smuggling of agricultural products, hoarding practices, and inconsistent government policies.
The minister also pointed to a major demographic challenge facing the country: Pakistan’s population is growing by approximately 4.7 million people annually, while agricultural production and food supply are not keeping pace. He warned that this growing imbalance poses serious risks to the nation’s future food security.
Providing detailed statistics, he said that rice exports were the most affected, falling nearly 50% from $1.5 billion to $769 million. Vegetable exports declined by 39%, dropping from $110 million to $66 million, while oilseeds and nuts experienced a dramatic 64% decline, falling from $262 million to just $92 million.
Per-acre agricultural productivity is equally concerning. Over the past two years, the yield of major crops has continuously decreased. Wheat production fell below 3,200 kg per acre, rice yield dropped from 2,714 kg to 1,494 kg per acre, and cotton yield fell to just 590 kg per acre.
Rana Tanveer Hussain said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is deeply concerned about declining exports and has instructed government officials to engage directly with the business community and provide all possible support to reverse this trend. The minister acknowledged that higher production costs, expensive energy, and a complex tax system are major obstacles for exporters.
