ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to open its largest international food and agriculture exhibition in Karachi today, Tuesday, the commerce ministry said, aiming to secure Rs282.25 billion ($1 billion) in export deals.
More than 350 Pakistani firms will showcase their products to over 800 potential buyers from more than 80 countries, including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, at the 3rd International Food & Agriculture Exhibition (FoodAg 2025), themed as “Harvesting Innovation, Cultivating Sustainability.”
Pakistani exporters will present the country’s finest Basmati rice, dehydrated mangoes, kinnows, dates, Himalayan pink salt, premium seafood, halal meat and dairy products along with spices and value-added foods at the three-day event, according to the commerce ministry.
“With thousands of pre-scheduled B2B (business-to-business) meetings taking place over the next three days, we expect business generation to exceed $1 billion, creating thousands of jobs and long-term partnerships that will benefit farmers and exporters across the country,” Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Chief Executive Faiz Ahmad was quoted as saying by the ministry.
The commerce ministry said it is not just hosting an exhibition, but opening the doors to “Pakistan’s abundant harvest and our unbreakable commitment to feeding the world reliably and sustainably.”
“In just three years, FoodAg has become the region’s most important food-trade platform because Pakistan delivers – never once restricting food exports even in the toughest years,” it added.
The exhibition will feature nine high-level conferences on sustainability and traceability as well as a Pakistan Cuisine Pavilion with 21 celebrity chefs from five continents cooking live using only Pakistani ingredients.
The visiting delegation of buyers from GCC countries includes Mercury ME DMCC from the United Arab Emirates, Sunder Trading Qatar and D Ocean Fisheries Bahrain. Other major importers from Asia include leading Chinese state-owned and private companies, Malaysia’s BERNAS, Indonesia’s PT Laris Manis Utama, and several Sri Lankan conglomerates, according to the commerce ministry.
Europe’s largest Basmati rice buyer, Surya Food along with AIB Foods, Aytac Foods, Schepens & Co. Belgium and Migros Türkiye will also attend. More than 200 buyers from Kenya, Somalia, Cameroon, Angola, Rwanda, and Mauritius as well as key players from Australia, Canada, the United States and Russia are expected at the expo.
With Pakistan facing a growing trade deficit and rising demand for foreign exchange, increasing agricultural and food exports has become crucial to support economic growth, create jobs and stabilize the economy.
The exhibition is expected to strengthen Pakistan’s position in the global food market, create new business opportunities for local producers and reinforce long-term trade partnerships.
Pakistani Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan said the country’s diverse agro-climatic zones and government policies have been transforming Pakistan from a large producer into a branded supplier.
“FoodAg 2025, with this historic gathering of serious international buyers under one roof, is clear proof that the strategy is delivering results,” the ministry quoted him as saying.
