LAHORE: Stakeholders have called for urgent regulatory reforms and stronger government support to boost Pakistan’s food exports, which continue to struggle due to high costs, strict quality requirements, and logistical hurdles.

Exporters say they face a range of challenges when selling products abroad, from meeting different labelling and packaging rules in every market to securing certifications like SFDA and FDA, which often cause delays. National Foods officials, during a visit to their Faisalabad plant, explained that complying with global standards such as IPM-grade raw materials raises costs and complicates product lines. Natural contaminants in raw materials also risk making products non-compliant in some markets.

On top of this, exporters are hit by global shipping disruptions, rising freight charges, and difficulties in meeting on-time delivery. High packaging and utility costs in Pakistan further weaken competitiveness compared to international benchmarks.

Experts say reforms, better infrastructure, easier access to finance, and improved trade facilitation are crucial to help exporters expand globally. Addressing these issues could diversify exports, increase competitiveness, and support economic growth and poverty reduction.

National Foods, which exports to over 40 countries, is already seeing demand grow, especially among young consumers in North America, the UK, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia. The company, with more than 250 products in 12 categories, reported 17% sales growth, crossing Rs 74 billion in revenue and Rs 3.6 billion in profit after tax in the first nine months of the last fiscal year.

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