By Moaaz Manzoor

Pakistan’s export performance during July–March FY2025-26 weakened mainly due to a sharp contraction in agriculture and food exports, which declined 33%, while textiles remained largely stable and other sectors posted marginal growth.

According to figures shared by the Pakistan Textile Council (PTC), agriculture and food exports dropped to $3.86 billion during the nine-month period, down by $1.87 billion. This made the sector the largest contributor to the overall decline in exports.

In contrast, textile and apparel exports — the country’s largest export segment — stood at $13.58 billion, recording only a marginal decrease of 1%, or $69 million, indicating relative resilience. Meanwhile, exports from manufacturing, mining and energy sectors remained broadly stable, rising slightly by 0.4% to $5.23 billion.

Overall, the slowdown was concentrated in agriculture, with other sectors largely holding steady.

The same trend continued in March 2026, with all key sectors posting year-on-year declines. Textile exports were recorded at $1.33 billion, down 7%, while agriculture and food exports fell sharply by 27% to $419 million. Exports from manufacturing, mining and energy sectors also declined by 17% to $524 million.

Overall, exports during July–March FY2025-26 stood at $22.731 billion, while imports rose to $50.536 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $27.805 billion, reflecting continued pressure on the external account.

On a monthly basis, exports in March 2026 were recorded at $2.264 billion, while imports stood at $4.995 billion, pushing the monthly trade deficit to $2.731 billion.

The data indicates that despite relatively stable performance in textiles and marginal growth in other sectors, the widening trade gap is largely linked to weak export performance, particularly the sharp decline in agriculture and food exports.

Overall, the latest figures highlight an uneven export structure, where stability in textiles and limited gains in other sectors have been offset by a steep contraction in agriculture, underscoring its critical role in Pakistan’s external sector performance.

Credit: INP-WealthPk