Pakistan’s Rice Export Earnings Fall After $3.88bn Peak in 2023-24

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s rice export earnings declined to $2.195 billion in fiscal year 2025-26 from a peak of $3.884 billion in 2023-24, according to figures presented by the Ministry of Commerce in the National Assembly.

In a written reply to a question by MNA Ms Samina Khalid Ghurki, Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan said Pakistan exported approximately 23.69 million metric tonnes of rice, worth around $13.77 billion, during the five fiscal years from 2021-22 to 2025-26, according to data compiled by the Pakistan Revenue Automation Limited (PRAL).

The annual figures show that rice exports were valued at $2.479 billion in 2021-22 before falling to $1.932 billion in 2022-23. Export earnings subsequently rose to $3.884 billion in 2023-24, before declining to $3.282 billion in 2024-25 and $2.195 billion in 2025-26.

The ministry’s response lists total export volumes of 4.67 million tonnes in 2021-22, 3.12 million tonnes in 2022-23, 5.98 million tonnes in 2023-24, 5.69 million tonnes in 2024-25 and 4.23 million tonnes in 2025-26.

Non-basmati rice accounts for the larger share

Non-basmati rice accounted for approximately $10.043 billion of the reported export earnings during the five-year period, compared with $3.729 billion for basmati rice.

The data show that non-basmati rice exports were valued at $3.04 billion in 2023-24, the highest annual figure recorded for the category during the period covered. The value subsequently fell to $2.475 billion in 2024-25 and $1.475 billion in 2025-26.

Basmati rice exports, meanwhile, were valued at $844 million in 2023-24, declining to $807 million in 2024-25 and $720 million in 2025-26.

China and Oman among the export markets

According to the ministry’s response, Pakistan exported rice worth $916.36 million to China during the five-year period covered by the document. Exports to Oman were valued at $394.85 million.

The figures include basmati, non-basmati and other categories of rice, including broken and husked rice.Basmati rice exports to Oman reached $83.76 million in 2024-25 before falling to $50.64 million in 2025-26. In China, basmati exports were valued at $4.34 million in 2025-26, compared with $12.78 million in 2021-22.

The ministry said it had facilitated business-to-business engagements between Pakistani exporters and Chinese importers, supported Pakistani companies’ participation in the SIAL Shanghai exhibition and pursued a proposed one per cent rice tariff-rate quota for Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement.

A China-specific rice commercialisation plan has also been proposed for finalisation at the prime ministerial level, the response said.For Oman, the ministry cited Pakistani companies’ participation in the Oman Agro Food Exhibition and a visit by an 18-member delegation of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan in May 2026.

Government outlines measures to boost exports

The Ministry of Commerce said a rice-sector roadmap under the Agro Exports Enhancement initiative had been approved by the prime minister.It also cited a scheme intended to help achieve at least $2 billion in rice export proceeds, alongside efforts to promote higher-value products, including parboiled, organic and packaged rice.Other measures include strengthening food-safety compliance, accredited testing, traceability and controls on maximum residue limits and aflatoxins.

Regarding Iran, the ministry said the Pakistan Single Window and PRAL do not record imports and exports involving the country because of US sanctions. The response nevertheless outlined discussions on banking and payment channels, third-country settlement arrangements, customs issues and barter-trade mechanisms to facilitate rice exports.The ministry said these matters were under discussion or consideration, with some arrangements still awaiting finalisation.

Source: Written reply by the Ministry of Commerce to a question in the National Assembly; PRAL/PSW figures reproduced in the document.