Need stressed to boost soybean, sugarcane cultivation

Published on: January 19, 2026 8:11 AM

Pakistan can save a major chunk of its precious foreign exchange by bringing more agricultural area under the cultivation of pulses, tea, soybean and sugarcane. Convener of Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry regional committee on food, Shahid Imran, stated this in a meeting with a delegation of food importers and exporters here Sunday. According to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) data, he cited, Pak­istan’s food import bill soared to USD 3.075 billion in the first four months of the current fiscal year, marking a sharp 31.38 per cent increase from USD 2.340bn in the same period last year. The surge highlights growing reliance on imp­orted food commodities amid domestic production and supply challenges. The increase was primarily driven by higher imports of sugar, edible oil, and tea to meet domestic demand. Palm oil constituted the largest share among imported food items, followed by pulses, tea, soya bean oil and sugar, he added.