The most valuable Pakistani imports also include smartphones and other phone system devices. Raw cotton is another area where Pakistan shows strong demand, unsurprising when one considers that clothing products dominate Pakistan’s leading exports.
The following list shows on which product categories Pakistani importers spent the most. Unlike most information currently available on the web, the items below are detailed at the 4-digit tariff code level.
This level of granularity can help entrepreneurs identify more precisely which products in which Pakistan has strong demand perhaps competitive disadvantages compared with other nations. Innovation satisfying that demand can transform these disadvantages into lucrative business opportunities.
For the most recent four-digit HTS code data, please see the link to Pakistan’s Top 10 Imports article in the See also paragraph above Research Sources below.
Highest Value Pakistani Import Products
Below are the 20 highest value import products delivered to Pakistani importers in 2017. Shown within brackets is the change in value for each imported product since 2013.
- Processed petroleum oils: US$7.4 billion (Down -20% from 2013 to 2017)
- Crude oil: $3.1 billion (Down -42.7%)
- Palm oil: $2.1 billion (Up 13.7%)
- Petroleum gases: $1.9 billion (Up 2,146%)
- Iron or steel scrap: $1.5 billion (Up 119.6%)
- Cars: $1.4 billion (Up 102.3%)
- Phone system devices including smartphones: $1.3 billion (Up 8%)
- Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $1.1 billion (Up 216.8%)
- Dried shelled vegetables: $850.8 million (Up 204.5%)
- Cotton (uncarded, uncombed): $761.5 million (Up 0.5%)
- Soya beans: $745.1 million (Up 37,254,050%)
- Ethylene polymers: $705.3 million (Up 54.7%)
- Electric generating sets, converters: $686.9 million (Up 113%)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $662.3 million (Up 460.6%)
- Fertilizer mixes: $655.8 million (Up 117.2%)
- Propylene/olefin polymers: $615.1 million (Up 29.2%)
- Breaker vessels: $556.4 million (Down -42.2%)
- Tea (including flavored): $549.6 million (Up 72.6%)
- Vapour-based boilers: $535.4 million (Up 1,090%)
- Flat-rolled other alloy steel products: $484.4 million (Up 365.2%)
Among these product categories, imported soya beans posted an exponential gain in value from 2013 to 2017.
In second place were imported petroleum gases which appreciated 2,146% over the same 5-year period.
Pakistani imports of vapour-based boilers showed an impressive gain, up by 1,090% since 2013.
Imported crude oil (down -42.7%) and breaker vessels (down -42.2%) had the most significant declines.
Encompassing all products, the average increase in Pakistan’s imports was 31.2% from 2013 to 2017.
See also Pakistan’s Top 10 Exports, Pakistan’s Top Trading Partners and Pakistan’s Top 10 Imports
Research Sources:
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on May 16, 2018
The World Factbook, Field Listing: Imports and World Population, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on May 16, 2018
Trade Map, International Trade Centre, www.intracen.org/marketanalysis. Accessed on May 16, 2018