PAKISTAN - STEADY PACE FOR SUCCESSFUL GROWTH

With Pakistan's economic growth reaching over 7 percent for the last few years, Pakistan has become the 6th largest exporter of Food and Beverages in the world, attracting USD 492.3 million of Foreign Investment in the year 2006-7.

Agriculture continues to be the single largest sector in the economy and the second largest source of foreign exchange earnings for the country. It employs 43.4 percent of the total work force and is main source of livelihood for 66 percent of the country's population. The import of agriculture machinery has increased by 34.19 percent to USD 157.51 million.

Wheat is a major contributor to Pakistan 's food sector with its production currently standing at 23.5 million tons contributing 3.0 percent to the national GDP . Rice holds a strong position in the agricultural sector and constitutes 6.1 percent of the total agricultural produce. With rice production at 5.4 million tons, it accounts for 5.7 percent of the total value added in this sector and 1.2 percent to the GDP. The sugar industry is the second largest industry in Pakistan producing 54.8 million tons of sugar. Pakistan ranks fourth in sugar cane production and twelfth in sugar production in the world.

Apart from agricultural inputs like rice, wheat and sugar, products such as dairy, fisheries and fruits & vegetables also play a vital role. Pakistan is the 4th largest producer of milk in the world and has registered a production increase of 35.6 percent ( producing 38.37 billion liters per annum). Fisheries on an average contribute about 0.3 percent to the total GDP and 4.2 percent to agriculture. Pakistan also enjoys a place among the top ten citrus fruit producers in the world.

Beverage industry in Pakistan also has tremendous potential and currently there are about 170 units operating in Pakistan that produce water, syrups and squashes.

The overall food import during 2006-07 stood at USD 2.71 billion. Unmilled wheat import was USD 41.55 million, tea import was USD 213.82 million and sugar import was USD 260.36 million. During the fiscal year 2006-07 the import of Milk cream and food for infants increased by 37 percent to USD 84.15 million. Dry fruit import grew by 20.67 percent to USD 84.15 million and import of soybean oil increased by 89.33 percent to USD 40.65 million.

With a population of 160 million and the country's inclination towards agro resources, Pakistan is an ideal platform for profitable business of food and food processing technologies.

MAJOR FOOD EXPORTS OF PAKISTAN

S.No.	COMMODITIES	2006-2007 VALUE (US $)
1	Rice	939.2
2	Fish and Fish Preparations	157.1
3	Fruits	94.1
4	Meat & Meat Preparations	33.5
5	Vegetables	20.6
6	Spices	20.3
7	Sugar	18.2
8	Oil Seed and Nuts	15.2
9	Guar and Guar Products	9.9
10	Crude Animal Material	4.1
11	Poultry	0.45