That dollar amount results from a 17.7% increase compared to $60.4 billion five years earlier in 2018.
Year over year, Pakistan’s overall spending on imported goods declined by -2.7% from $73.1 billion during 2021.
Major International Suppliers for Pakistan’s Imported Products
The latest available country-specific data shows that 72.9% of products imported by Pakistan were supplied by exporters in: mainland China (23% of the Pakistani total), United Arab Emirates (11.2%), Saudi Arabia (7.2%), Indonesia (7%), Qatar (5.8%), United States (4.4%), Kuwait (4.3%), Japan (2.4%), Thailand (2.04%), Brazil (2.03%), South Korea (1.8%) and South Africa (1.7%).
From a continental perspective, suppliers in Asia provide about three-quarters (75.3%) of total Pakistani imported goods. Another 10% came from Europe.
Smaller percentages originated from sellers in Africa (6.1%), North America (5.1%), Latin America (2.7%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.8%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
Given Pakistan’s population of 227 million people, its total $71.1 billion in 2022 imports translates to an estimated $310 in yearly product demand from every person in the South Asian country. That amount falls below the average $330 per capita for 2021.
Pakistan’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Pakistan’s import purchases during 2022. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Pakistan.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$25.1 billion (35.3% of total imports)
- Machinery including computers: $4.3 billion (6.1%)
- Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $4.3 billion (6%)
- Iron, steel: $4 billion (5.6%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $3.9 billion (5.4%)
- Organic chemicals: $3.3 billion (4.7%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $3 billion (4.2%)
- Vehicles: $2.7 billion (3.7%)
- Cotton: $2.1 billion (2.9%)
- Oil seeds: $1.3 billion (1.8%)
Pakistan’s top 10 imports accounted for roughly three-quarters (75.8%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
Mineral fuels including oil posted the fastest growth in total cost among the top 10 import categories, up by 29.4% from 2021 to 2022. Both crude oil and processed petroleum oils spearheaded that percentage increase.
In second place for Pakistan’s expanding import purchases was the animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes category thanks to its 18.9% advance.
Pakistan’s imports of organic chemicals rose in cost by 10.3%.
The severest declines were for Pakistani purchases of imported electrical machinery and equipment (down -35.5% from 2021) and oil seeds (down -34.9%).
Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented under the product group sections below is at the more granular 4-digit level.
Pakistan’s Main Mineral Fuels Imports Including Oil
In 2022, Pakistani importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$11.1 billion (up 38% from 2021)
- Crude oil: $6 billion (up 43.2%)
- Petroleum gases: $5.3 billion (up 15.6%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $2.2 billion (down -5.1%)
- Lignite: $197 million (up 597.6%)
- Petroleum oil residues: $90.5 million (up 32.6%)
- Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $60.1 million (up 24.9%)
- Coke, semi-coke: $58.8 million (up 49.1%)
- Electrical energy: $49.1 million (up 25.8%)
- Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $15.9 million (up 29.6%)
Among these import subcategories, Pakistani purchases of lignite (up 597.6%), coke and semi-coke (up 49.1%) then crude oil (up 43.2%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of mineral fuels-related goods among Pakistani businesses and consumers.
Pakistan’s Main Machinery Imports Including Computers
In 2022, Pakistani importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery.
- Sort/screen/washing machinery: US$384.2 million (up 130.8% from 2021)
- Computers, optical readers: $364.2 million (down -16.7%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $332.1 million (down -22.7%)
- Textile fiber work machines: $280 million (down -6.9%)
- Temperature-change machines: $201.3 million (down -29.3%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $154.1 million (down -29.9%)
- Turbo-jets: $144.4 million (down -25.5%)
- Air conditioners: $124.5 million (down -31.7%)
- Piston engine parts: $121.3 million (down -21.3%)
- Rubber/plastic article making machines: $119.1 million (down -36.4%)
Among these import subcategories, Pakistani purchases of sorting, screening or washing machinery was the lone gainer via a 130.8% increase compared to 2021.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of machinery -related imports among Pakistani businesses and consumers.
Pakistan’s Main Imports of Animal or Vegetable Fats and Oils
In 2022, Pakistani importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes.
- Palm oil: US$3.9 billion (up 12.8% from 2021)
- Soya-bean oil: $312.7 million (up 236.4%)
- Animal/vegetable hydrogenated fats, oils: $33.4 million (up 0.1%)
- Margarine: $25.6 million (up 37%)
- Coconut/palm/babassu oil: $18.4 million (down -1.4%)
- Rape/colza/mustard oil: $13.7 million (up 37,024%)
- Olive oil: $12.6 million (down -4%)
- Sun/safflower/cotton-seed oil: $8.2 million (up 2,102%)
- Glycerol (glycerine): $4.8 million (up 10%)
- Bovine, sheep or goat fats: $3.6 million (up 45.3%)
Among these import subcategories, Pakistani purchases of rape, colza or mustard oil (up 37,024%), sunflower, safflower or cotton-seed oil (up 2,102%) then soya-bean oil (up 236.4%) grew at the fastest pace from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes among Pakistani businesses and consumers.
Pakistan’s Main Iron and Steel Material Imports
In 2022, Pakistani importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of iron and steel.
- Iron or steel scrap: US$1.8 billion (down -18.9% from 2021)
- Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products: $1.2 billion (up 19.8%)
- Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated): $354.8 million (up 2.2%)
- Flat-rolled stainless steel items: $144.8 million (down -5.1%)
- Cold-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products: $131.9 million (down -14.7%)
- Flat-rolled other alloy steel products: $99.4 million (down -78.9%)
- Iron ferroalloys: $77.6 million (up 5.7%)
- Coiled other alloy steel bars, rods: $70.3 million (down -11.8%)
- Iron ore reduced products: $46.1 million (down -13.6%)
- Thin flat-rolled thin iron or non-alloy steel products: $21.6 million (down -0.5%)
Among these import subcategories, Pakistani purchases of hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (up 19.8%), iron ferroalloys (up 5.7%) then plated or coated flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (up 2.2%) grew from 2021 to 2022.
These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of iron and steel-related imports among Pakistani businesses and consumers.
See also Pakistan’s Top 10 Exports, India’s Top 10 Imports, India’s Top 10 Exports and 100 Best Imported Consumer Products to Sell in Pakistan
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on August 12, 2023
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on August 12, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 12, 2023
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 12, 2023
Wikipedia, List of Companies of Pakistan. Accessed on August 12, 2023
Wikipedia, Pakistan. Accessed on August 12, 2023
