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The report outlines regulatory requirements and import procedures for food and agricultural imports into Pakistan. As compared to the last report submitted in December 2021, this report contains additions to food laws and labelling requirement...

This report outlines Pakistan’s requirements for import permits and export certificates for various food products for human and animal consumption. It also provides a list of the Pakistani government agencies involved in the entry of imported food...

Based on total commitments to date (imports plus outstanding purchases), the 2022/23 import forecast is reduced from 3 to 2.6 million tons. With the impact of the summer’s floods proving to be even worse than initially anticipated, the 2022/23 rice production estimate is decreased to 6 million tons. As a result of the expectations for lower domestic supplies, 2022/23 rice exports are also lowered to 3.6 million tons.

Due to uncertainty regarding policy on imported soybeans, the 2022/23 soybean import forecast is reduced from 2.5 to 2.2 million tons. Due to the lower expected soybean imports, 2022/23 crush and soybean meal output is reduced accordingly. Reflecting continued decline in consumer purchasing power due to record level inflation, the forecast for 2022/23 palm oil imports is also reduced.

While output is unchanged, the 2022/23 harvested area is reduced to reflect the abandoned fields in key production areas of Sindh due to last summer’s flooding. The import forecast is increased to reflect the need to supplement the decline in domestic availability.

In 2022, after a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) completed the draft, the National Biosafety Committee (NBC) reviewed a policy on regulating imports of genetically engineered (GE) commodities for food, feed, and processing (FFP). The NBC sent the draft FFP policy to relevant Ministries for further review. Cotton remains the only GE crop approved for cultivation.

The 2022/2023 sugarcane harvested area is slightly reduced due to the impacts of the recent flooding in key production areas. As a result, the 2022/23 cane sugar production forecast is lowered to 7 million tons. Despite the slight decline in output expected, there will still be an exportable surplus, and the 2022/23 export forecast remains 1 million tons.

Due to the impact of the recent flooding, the 2022/23 rice production forecast is lowered to 8.3 million tons. With a slow-down in exports during July and August, plus the recent flooding causing a pause in export activities, marketing year 2021/22 rice exports are lowered to 4.5 million tons.

The 2022/23 harvested area estimate is reduced significantly due to the recent flooding in key production areas of Sindh and southern Punjab. As a result, the 2022/23 production forecast is lowered 19.4 percent to 5 million bales. To replace the expected decline in domestic output, the 2022/23 import forecast is increased to 5.8 million bales.

Based on the government’s international procurement intentions, the 2022/23 wheat import forecast is increased from 2.0 to 2.5 million tons (MMT). Due to water shortages in key producing areas during the early planting season, the rice production forecast for 2022/23 (November-October) is reduced from 9.0 to 8.6 MMT.

To stem the burgeoning current account deficit and declining foreign exchange reserves, on May 19, 2022, Pakistan banned imports of many categories of agricultural products.

Due to lower area and yields, wheat production in 2022/23 is forecast at 26.4 million metric tons (MMT), four percent lower than last year. To make up for the expected domestic shortfall, in 2022/23 wheat imports are forecast at 1.5 MMT.