Pakistan, China exports rise with salt 20% higher, rice $62m

January 30, 2026 (MLN): Pakistan’s exports of salt and rice to China saw substantial growth in 2025, demonstrating strengthened bilateral trade in agricultural and mineral products.

Salt exports rose by nearly 20% year-on-year, reaching $7.18 million compared to $5.98m in 2024.

Industrial and other types of salt formed the bulk of these shipments, with Hebei Province emerging as the top importer, receiving approximately 37.8m kilograms valued at $3.81m.

Zhejiang Province imported more than 452,000 kilograms worth $645,050, while Anhui Province received 830,500 kilograms valued at $557,023.

Other key destinations included Fujian Province (340,483 kilograms; $537,693), Guangdong Province (716,881 kilograms; $453,210), and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region with over 2.66m kilograms.

Additional shipments were made to Shandong, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Tianjin, Shanghai, Hubei, Beijing, and Hunan, according to data from the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, as reported by APP.

Pakistan also exported edible salt to Anhui and Guangdong via bonded trade channels, as well as to Heilongjiang and Hebei Provinces.

The growth was attributed to competitive pricing, abundant domestic reserves, and enhanced compliance with Chinese quality and logistics standards, supported by improvements in e-commerce platforms and faster customs clearance.

Rice exports to China also recorded strong performance, surpassing $62.26m in 2025.

In volume terms, Pakistan shipped about 157.74m kilograms of rice, including 110.10m kilograms of semi- or wholly milled rice generating $46.86m in export earnings.

Broken rice accounted for 47.63m kilograms, contributing the remaining value.

Guangdong Province emerged as the largest destination, importing around 61.8m kilograms across milled and broken rice categories with a combined value exceeding $26m.

Beijing was the second-largest market, received about 42.93m kilograms of semi- or wholly milled rice valued at $15.48m.

Other important destinations included Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Sichuan, and Heilongjiang, highlighting the wide geographic spread of Pakistani rice across China.

The combined growth in salt and rice exports emphasizes Pakistan’s competitive edge in pricing, quality, and logistics, pointing to further opportunities for deeper engagement in China’s food, chemical, and industrial sectors.

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