Pakistan earns $323 million from seafood exports in nine months

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s seafood exports rose by more than 8 per cent during the first nine months of the current financial year, according to official data, reflecting steady demand in global markets.

Figures from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) show that fish and related products worth $322.9 million were exported between July and March (2024-25), an increase of 8.15 per cent compared to the same period last year.

In total, 151,787 metric tonnes of seafood were shipped abroad, up from 145,671 metric tonnes worth $289.6 million during the corresponding period in 2023-24.

Meat exports also showed a marginal increase. The country exported 90,578 metric tonnes of meat and meat products worth $391.1 million during the nine-month period, up 0.99 per cent in value despite a slight drop in volume from 93,587 metric tonnes last year.

Exports of Basmati rice recorded strong growth, rising to 663,980 metric tonnes valued at $676.9 million, compared to 545,223 metric tonnes worth $622.3 million in the same period of the previous year.

However, exports of non-Basmati rice remained largely unchanged in volume but fell in value. Pakistan exported 4.017 million metric tonnes of non-Basmati rice worth $2.08 billion, down from $2.31 billion earned from the export of 4.011 million metric tonnes during the same period last year.

Overall, food group exports between July and March grew by 1.62 per cent year-on-year. Total food exports reached $5.75 billion, up from $5.66 billion in the same period of 2023-24.

In contrast, food imports declined by 2.74 per cent over the same nine-month period. The country imported food commodities worth $6.12 billion, down from $6.29 billion a year earlier.

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