Between July and May FY25, vegetable exports in Pakistan reached 1.395 million tons, valued at $353 million, surpassing the FY23's full-year figure of 1.336 million tons at $300 million. However, the per-tonne price fell from $343 to $253 compared to prior periods, reducing the overall foreign exchange earnings.
Across FY18 to FY24, Pakistan's vegetable exports ranged from $234 million to $430 million, with quantities between 825,257 tons and 1.336 million tons. Key exports include potatoes and onions via sea and road, contrasted with green vegetables like carrots, green chilies, and others shipped by air. Consumer price fluctuations in staple foods occur due to variations in production and export levels, alongside international onion price impacts. Import of onions typically occurs when domestic production declines, with local markets sometimes affected by traders hoarding stocks.
According to Waheed Ahmed of the All Pakistan Fruits and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association, out of the nearly 1.4 million tons exported between July and May FY25, potatoes made up over 1 million tons, followed by 0.1–0.2 million tons of onions, and 40,000–50,000 tons of air-shipped green vegetables.
He noted, "We could not find new markets for vegetables, but the Commonwealth Independent States (CIS) have emerged as one of the most promising markets for Pakistani potatoes, where shipments have been made via road." Quarantine challenges limit expansion to other markets such as Indonesia, Thailand, and others, necessitating governmental engagement regarding these hurdles.
Production data from the Pakistan Economic Survey FY25 reveals onion production increased from 2.3 million tons in FY24 to 2.67 million tons in FY25, with potato production rising to 9.4 million tons from 8.4 million in the same period. The enhanced production has generally kept local prices stable, as evidenced by the Sensitive Price Index, with the national average price for potatoes and onions reducing to Rs0.22–0.44 ($0.13–0.27) and Rs0.15–0.33 ($0.09–0.20) per kg, respectively, down from earlier rates.
Ahmed suggested leveraging the rising potato production to boost exports to CIS countries, comparable to the demand for wheat in Pakistan. Additionally, the consumption of potatoes is on the rise due to the proliferation of potato-chip manufacturing entities and upscale street food vendors, especially those selling French fries. Decreasing Pakistani onion exports in recent months were also noted, impacted by competition from more affordable Indian onions.
Consumers in Pakistan are already accustomed to imported onions from Iran and Afghanistan, but domestic quality remains unmatched. Effective improvements in road infrastructure and reefer container usage could further augment export capacities.
Source: Dawn
