ISLAMABAD, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's food group exports dropped 35.2 percent year on year in August 2025, official data showed Wednesday.
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported that food exports stood at 347.6 million U.S. dollars in August, down from 536.2 million dollars in the same month last year. On a month-on-month basis, exports fell 18.6 percent from 426.7 million dollars in July.
Rice, the country's leading food export, tumbled 43.5 percent year on year to 146.3 million dollars, while declining 12.8 percent from July. Within this category, Basmati rice shipments plunged 48.5 percent year on year and 7.6 percent month on month to 51.5 million dollars, while other rice varieties fell 40.4 percent from last year and 15.7 percent from July to 94.7 million dollars.
Some products recorded gains. Exports of fish and fish preparations rose 47.8 percent year on year and 6.5 percent month on month to 23.9 million dollars. Fruit exports increased 4.5 percent year on year to 31.5 million dollars but plunged 45.6 percent from July.
Vegetable exports dropped 39.8 percent year on year to 13.4 million dollars, down 15.8 percent from July. Tobacco exports shrank 90.9 percent year on year and 55.6 percent month on month to just 1.8 million dollars.
Other categories showed mixed trends. Meat and meat preparations dropped 5.1 percent year on year to 36.4 million dollars, while spices slipped 20.7 percent to 6.3 million dollars. Oil seeds, nuts and kernels surged 62.2 percent from July to 6.8 million dollars, though still down 64.8 percent from last year. No exports of wheat or sugar were recorded in August.
All other food items brought in 81.1 million dollars in August, declining 24.3 percent from July and 14.5 percent compared with the same month last year, according to PBS data. ■