Exporters outline a three-year strategy to triple fruit, vegetable and value-added sales after FoodAg 2025 attracted buyers from 35 countries.
KARACHI: Pakistan’s horticulture sector has unveiled an ambitious three-year roadmap to increase fruit, vegetable and value-added exports from about $700 million today to $2 billion, building on strong buyer interest shown at FoodAg Pakistan 2025.
At a press briefing, Waheed Ahmed, patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA), said the plan will be delivered through coordinated action between the Pakistan Horticulture Development & Export Company (PHDEC), the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and provincial stakeholders to scale production, processing and global marketing.
FoodAg 2025 jumpstarts opportunities
FoodAg Pakistan 2025 generated immediate commercial interest: organisers and exporters reported roughly $35 million in orders and expressions of interest, with first-time export enquiries from markets such as the United Kingdom, Germany and Oman. The event hosted dozens of Pakistani horticulture exhibitors and attracted buyers from 35 countries, creating new leads for SMEs and large processors alike.
Strategy: build an integrated value chain
The PFVA’s three-year strategy focuses on four interlinked pillars: improving production through new varieties and agronomy, expanding processing and cold-chain capacity, strengthening global compliance and quality standards, and executing coordinated marketing and market access programs. Waheed Ahmed stressed that product diversification — from new citrus varieties to avocado, garlic and banana — and scale-up of value-added lines such as mango pulp, kinnow concentrate, date syrup and tomato paste will be critical to reach the $2 billion goal.
Public-private coordination and PHDEC backing
Officials emphasised that horticulture is largely a provincial domain and success depends on active federal-provincial coordination. The Pakistan Horticulture Development & Export Company, operating under the Ministry of Commerce and representing provinces plus Gilgit-Baltistan and academic partners, will play a central role in implementing the roadmap. This national approach follows earlier institutional moves: PHDEC’s board approved an ambitious three-year export plan earlier in 2025 that set similar long-term targets and identified priority crops and markets.
SMEs, processing capacity and corporate interest
PFVA leaders said small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the value chain and recent trade shows demonstrate many smaller firms are now ready to export. While large corporates have historically favored less perishable sectors (for example dairy), improving cold-chain infrastructure and higher margins in processed goods are expected to draw more corporate investment into horticulture processing. The number of processing firms producing juices, concentrates and pulps has grown notably, widening Pakistan’s exportable product mix.
Market outlook and risks
Trade experts welcomed the strategy but warned that achieving a near-tripling of exports will require addressing structural risks — including perishability, climate variability, sanitary and phytosanitary compliance, and consistent cold-chain logistics. Experts say quick wins are possible via value-added products that capture more margin and tolerate longer shipping times, while fresh-produce exports will demand sustained investment in farm-to-port traceability and quality assurance.
What this means for exporters and buyers
For exporters, the roadmap signals stronger market support, technical assistance and potential incentives to upgrade processing and certification. For international buyers, Pakistan is positioning itself as a more reliable supplier of both fresh and processed horticulture items — backed by digital trade facilitation, product development and coordinated market promotion through TDAP and PHDEC.
