Navigating the agriculture sector
Pakistan is an agrarian economy, and the agriculture sector includes crops, livestock, fisheries, and forestry. Agriculture accounts for roughly 25% of GDP, and Pakistan is among the world’s top producers of wheat, cotton, sugarcane, mangoes, dates, rice, and oranges. The agriculture sector not only meets domestic demand for food but also contributes significantly to the country’s export earnings. According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the value of agricultural exports in 2023-24 was $5.2 billion, an increase of 13% from the previous year. The major agricultural exports include rice, fruits, vegetables, cotton yarn, raw cotton, fish, and fish preparations. The growth in agricultural exports was driven by improved productivity, better prices, and increased demand in the global market. Pakistan has also invested in modernising its agriculture sector by adopting new technologies, enhancing water management, improving seed quality, expanding cultivated land for high-value crops, s...