Islamabad, Mar 18, 2025: Pakistan’s export sector has shown notable growth in the first eight months of the fiscal year 2024-25, with exports reaching $22.074 billion, marking an 8.42% increase from the $20.359 billion recorded during the same period last year.
According to provisional data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), this upward trend highlights the resilience of the country’s trade sector despite economic challenges.
On the other hand, imports also witnessed an increase of 7.6%, rising to $37.875 billion from $35.199 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year.
This increase in imports has influenced the country’s overall trade balance.
Monthly Decline in Exports and Imports
Despite the cumulative growth, exports in February 2025 experienced a 15.59% month-on-month drop, settling at $2.491 billion, compared to $2.951 billion in January 2025.
Year-on-year, this represents a 3.56% decrease from $2.583 billion in February 2024.
Similarly, imports in February declined by 8.52% from the previous month, reaching $4.810 billion, down from $5.258 billion in January 2025.
However, on an annual basis, imports increased by 11.7%, compared to $4.306 billion in February 2024.
With both exports and imports fluctuating, the trade deficit for February 2025 stood at $2.319 billion, while the cumulative trade gap from July to February reached $15.801 billion.
Key Export and Import Commodities
Among Pakistan’s top exports in February 2025, the leading contributors were:
- Knitwear – Rs102.09 billion
- Readymade garments – Rs91.93 billion
- Bedwear – Rs69.71 billion
- Rice (excluding Basmati) – Rs56.03 billion
- Other significant exports included cotton cloth, towels, basmati rice, made-up textile articles, vegetables, and cotton yarn.
On the import front, petroleum products topped the list with Rs130.37 billion, followed by petroleum crude at Rs123.82 billion and palm oil at Rs102.29 billion.
Other notable imports included electrical machinery, LNG, iron and steel, plastic materials, mobile phones, raw cotton, and iron and steel scrap.
Read More:
PBF Urges Long-Term Export Strategy to Strengthen National Trade
Pakistan’s trade performance continues to reflect a mix of challenges and opportunities.
While exports have grown significantly over the fiscal year, short-term declines highlight the need for strategic measures to sustain momentum.
Monitoring global demand, optimizing local production, and ensuring favorable trade policies will be crucial for maintaining a steady growth trajectory in the coming months.
