Key Points
- Pakistan’s seafood exports to China climbed 24% in January–November 2025
- China is the biggest buyer of Pakistani seafood, ahead of Thailand and others
- Seafood makes up a modest share of total exports
- Exporters and government focus on quality, logistics and diversification
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s seafood exports to China have risen sharply by around 24 per cent in the first eleven months of 2025, reaching about $235.7 million compared with $188.95m in the same period last year, according to data from China’s General Administration of Customs.
The trend reflects growing demand for fish, crab, cuttlefish and related products in China and improving export logistics and standards.
Seafood is an important but relatively small segment of Pakistan’s overall export economy. In the full fiscal year 2024–25, Pakistan’s total seafood exports reached approximately $489.2m, marking a 20.5 per cent rise from the previous year. China remained the largest single market, importing seafood worth about $186m in that period, well above other buyers such as Thailand, which imported around $105.7m.
By contrast, Pakistan’s total merchandise exports across all sectors, including textiles, rice, leather and other goods, are measured in the tens of billions of dollars. Provisional data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics show that exports during the July–March period of the 2024–25 fiscal year reached roughly $24.7bn, up from about $22.9bn in the same period of the previous year
This means that even as seafood exports have grown, the sector accounts for roughly 1.5–2 per cent of Pakistan’s total merchandise exports, underscoring its niche but rising role in the national export portfolio. China’s purchases comprise about 38% of Pakistan’s total seafood export value, making it the dominant destination ahead of others.
Industry officials attribute the surge in exports to enhanced certification systems, improved cold-chain logistics and better access under broader trade cooperation frameworks, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Higher demand in China’s growing middle-income market for frozen and chilled seafood products has underpinned stronger shipments.
Exporters point out that seafood is not a major contributor to Pakistan’s export earnings overall. However, its rapid growth in key markets like China provides diversification benefits beyond dominant sectors such as textiles and rice. Continued improvements in processing standards and reaching new markets are seen as critical for sustaining momentum.
