Soybean cultivation can help cut Pakistan’s edible oil import bill: Shahid Imran

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Jun, 2026) Convener of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Regional Committee on Food, Shahid Imran, on Sunday said soybean cultivation holds significant potential to reduce Pakistan’s growing edible oil import bill, provided key structural and market-related challenges are effectively addressed.

Speaking at a seminar titled “Soybean, A Crop of Promise and Constraints” here, he said Pakistan’s poultry industry, the country’s second-largest sector after textiles, relies heavily on soybean meal as a high-protein ingredient for poultry feed. Soybean meal was also extensively used in fish and dairy feed, making it an important component of the livestock and agriculture value chain.

He said Pakistan imported soybean oil worth approximately $344 million during fiscal year 2024-25, in addition to more than two million tonnes of raw soybeans, mainly to meet the requirements of the poultry sector. This substantial import volume reflects the country’s growing dependence on soybean-related products and highlights the potential benefits of expanding domestic cultivation, he added.

Shahid Imran said that the success of soybean farming in Pakistan would depend not only on agronomic suitability but also on several structural, commercial and policy-related factors that would determine its long-term viability and profitability for farmers.

He observed that Pakistan ranks among the countries with the highest per capita consumption of edible oil. Palm oil continues to dominate edible oil imports, reaching around 3.21 million tonnes valued at approximately $3.4 billion during FY25. As palm oil remains the world’s cheapest edible oil, it continues to be the most affordable option for consumers in Pakistan, where a significant portion of the population faces economic constraints.

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He said unless soybean oil becomes competitive in price with palm oil, its large-scale substitution in the domestic market would remain difficult. Affordability, he added, remains a key factor influencing consumer preferences and industry demand.

The FPCCI convener further said farmers are generally hesitant to adopt crops that lack well-established marketing channels and a broad buyer base. Unlike many minor crops, the value chain for oilseed crops such as mustard, rapeseed, sunflower and canola is already relatively developed in Pakistan. Besides large solvent extraction plants, numerous small-scale oil extraction units operating in towns and villages regularly purchase these crops for oil production and other commercial uses.

He emphasized that developing a reliable procurement and marketing system for soybean would be essential to encourage farmers to adopt the crop on a larger scale.

Shahid Imran said Pakistan urgently needs to introduce and promote new field crops that can be cultivated commercially on a large scale. Such crops, he added, should either possess strong export potential or serve as effective import substitutes to help reduce the country’s rising import bill and strengthen agricultural sustainability.

He added that with appropriate policy support, market development and investment in value-chain infrastructure, soybean could emerge as a valuable crop capable of contributing to Pakistan’s food security, livestock sector and overall economic stability.