Decline in Pakistan’s Rice Export Revenue in FY25

Data from Optimus Capital Management revealed a considerable decrease in Pakistan’s rice export revenue for FY25, primarily due to a significant drop in international prices.

According to the brokerage, Pakistan’s rice exports totaled 5.8 million metric tons (MMT) in FY25, a modest 3.7% decrease from the 6 MMT recorded the previous year.

However, the revenue picture was less encouraging. Total earnings from rice exports experienced a significant year-on-year decline of 14.7%, falling from $3.93 billion in FY24 to $3.36 billion in FY25.

The decline was mainly due to decreased global prices, especially for non-basmati varieties, which make up over 85% of Pakistan’s total rice exports.

Basmati Rice Exports

Basmati rice exports saw a slight increase of 3% in volume, reaching 797,000 tons. Yet, profits from basmati dropped by 5.2% to $832 million, versus $877 million in FY24.

The data indicated that average prices fell nearly 9.1% year-on-year to approximately Rs291.6 per kilogram in FY25, compared to around Rs320.8 per kilogram.

Exports of other rice varieties witnessed a volume decrease of 4.7% and a value decrease of 17.4%, indicative of both diminished demand and severe pricing pressures across crucial markets. Non-basmati rice exports generated $2.52 billion in FY25, down from $3.05 billion in FY24.

Monthly Performance

In monthly figures, rice exports experienced a steep decline in June 2025, with shipments decreasing by 40.6% compared to the previous month and 37.1% compared to June 2024.

Export revenues for June 2025 stood at $150 million, a decrease of more than 50% year-on-year and 37.4% month-on-month.

Furthermore, rice exports’ contribution to Pakistan’s overall exports decreased to 10.5% in FY25 from 12.8% in the prior fiscal year.

Despite these revenue challenges, Pakistan’s rice sector remains a crucial component of the nation’s foreign exchange earnings.