Pakistanis are eating less, and increasingly, they are eating worse. Data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) shows that over the past six years, food consumption has declined across both urban and rural Pakistan, with average consumption falling in almost every major food category. Families are making fewer cups of rice, serving smaller rotis, cooking meat less frequently, giving their children less milk, and even drinking fewer cups of tea each day. The one major exception is vanaspati ghee, consumption of which has surged by 81%, from 690 grams a month to 1.25 kilograms.&nbsp;The shift is more than a change in eating habits. It is a warning about the quality of life and nutrition of millions of Pakistanis. The social indicators are particularly painful. The percentage of households classified as ‘moderate to severely food insecure’ has risen from 15.92 per cent in 2019 to 24.35 per cent in 2025. Over the same period, severe food insecurity increased from 2.37% of households to 5.04%. In other words, nearly a quarter of Pakistani households are now experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity, while a growing share are facing severe hunger and deprivation.&nbsp;For a country that has long taken pride in being an agrarian economy, these numbers are difficult to reconcile with the national narrative. Pakistan Studies textbooks have drilled the image of a fertile, self-sufficient Pakistan into generations of students: lush green fields, abundant crops and a country capable of feeding itself. Fertiliser advertisements have reinforced that image with unusually cheerful farmers throwing urea around at sunset. The promise has been repeated for decades. When Pakistan conducted its nuclear tests, citizens were told that whatever happened, the country would not go hungry because it could produce enough food for itself. A similar reassurance surfaced during the COVID-19 pandemic, when global supply chains were disrupted and food security became a concern around the world.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/focus-on-real-issues-bilawal-bhutto-slams-pakistan-govt-for-spreading-false-stories-about-his-personal-life-1788231225052">'Focus on real issues': Bilawal Bhutto slams Pakistan govt for spreading false stories about his personal life</a>&nbsp;But that ability to feed ourselves has been under serious strain for years. Pakistan has been a net importer of food since at least 2021. At the same time, rising food prices have steadily altered what households can afford to put on the table. This is not simply a story about people eating fewer meals or buying less food. It is about the composition of the Pakistani diet changing under economic pressure. When families cannot afford enough meat, milk, rice and other staples, they do not simply stop eating. They substitute, reduce portions and prioritise the cheapest available calories. The result can be a diet that fills the stomach without providing the nutrition required for healthy growth.&nbsp;That makes the rise in vanaspati ghee particularly significant. While households are cutting back on several food categories, consumption of a cheaper source of fat has increased sharply. The numbers suggest that affordability, rather than nutritional value, is increasingly determining what ends up on the Pakistani dinner table. The consequences could extend far beyond today's household budgets. Children who receive less milk and fewer nutritious foods are at greater risk of inadequate growth and development. Adults who consume poorer-quality diets may have less energy and greater vulnerability to illness. Over time, widespread dietary deterioration can translate into lower productivity, weaker human capital and greater pressure on an already strained healthcare system.&nbsp;The danger is that food insecurity can become self-reinforcing. Poor nutrition affects health and productivity; lower productivity limits household income; and lower incomes make nutritious food even harder to afford. That is why these consumption figures should not be dismissed as merely another indicator of inflation or household spending. They provide a window into how economic stress is changing everyday life. The macroeconomic picture may be bleak, but the most important story is often found at the household level: the smaller roti, the fewer glasses of milk, the less frequent meat curry and the extra spoonful of ghee. Pakistan's food problem is therefore not simply about producing enough food.&nbsp;&nbsp;It is increasingly about whether ordinary families can afford to buy and consume enough of the right food. If the trend continues, the country could end up confronting a generation that is not only poorer, but also less healthy and less well nourished than the one before it. That would be a recipe for a much deeper social and economic crisis.

Pakistanis are eating less as food prices rise, with declining consumption of rice, meat and milk and rising food insecurity threatening nutrition and health

Pakistanis are eating less, and increasingly, they are eating worse. Data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) shows that over the past six years, food consumption has declined across both urban and rural Pakistan, with average consumption falling in almost every major food category. Families are making fewer cups of rice, serving smaller rotis, cooking meat less frequently, giving their children less milk, and even drinking fewer cups of tea each day. The one major exception is vanaspati ghee, consumption of which has surged by 81%, from 690 grams a month to 1.25 kilograms. The shift is more than a change in eating habits. It is a warning about the quality of life and nutrition of millions of Pakistanis. The social indicators are particularly painful. The percentage of households classified as ‘moderate to severely food insecure’ has risen from 15.92 per cent in 2019 to 24.35 per cent in 2025. Over the same period, severe food insecurity increased from 2.37% of households to 5.04%. In other words, nearly a quarter of Pakistani households are now experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity, while a growing share are facing severe hunger and deprivation. For a country that has long taken pride in being an agrarian economy, these numbers are difficult to reconcile with the national narrative. Pakistan Studies textbooks have drilled the image of a fertile, self-sufficient Pakistan into generations of students: lush green fields, abundant crops and a country capable of feeding itself. Fertiliser advertisements have reinforced that image with unusually cheerful farmers throwing urea around at sunset. The promise has been repeated for decades. When Pakistan conducted its nuclear tests, citizens were told that whatever happened, the country would not go hungry because it could produce enough food for itself. A similar reassurance surfaced during the COVID-19 pandemic, when global supply chains were disrupted and food security became a concern around the world. Also Read: 'Focus on real issues': Bilawal Bhutto slams Pakistan govt for spreading false stories about his personal life But that ability to feed ourselves has been under serious strain for years. Pakistan has been a net importer of food since at least 2021. At the same time, rising food prices have steadily altered what households can afford to put on the table. This is not simply a story about people eating fewer meals or buying less food. It is about the composition of the Pakistani diet changing under economic pressure. When families cannot afford enough meat, milk, rice and other staples, they do not simply stop eating. They substitute, reduce portions and prioritise the cheapest available calories. The result can be a diet that fills the stomach without providing the nutrition required for healthy growth. That makes the rise in vanaspati ghee particularly significant. While households are cutting back on several food categories, consumption of a cheaper source of fat has increased sharply. The numbers suggest that affordability, rather than nutritional value, is increasingly determining what ends up on the Pakistani dinner table. The consequences could extend far beyond today's household budgets. Children who receive less milk and fewer nutritious foods are at greater risk of inadequate growth and development. Adults who consume poorer-quality diets may have less energy and greater vulnerability to illness. Over time, widespread dietary deterioration can translate into lower productivity, weaker human capital and greater pressure on an already strained healthcare system. The danger is that food insecurity can become self-reinforcing. Poor nutrition affects health and productivity; lower productivity limits household income; and lower incomes make nutritious food even harder to afford. That is why these consumption figures should not be dismissed as merely another indicator of inflation or household spending. They provide a window into how economic stress is changing everyday life. The macroeconomic picture may be bleak, but the most important story is often found at the household level: the smaller roti, the fewer glasses of milk, the less frequent meat curry and the extra spoonful of ghee. Pakistan's food problem is therefore not simply about producing enough food. It is increasingly about whether ordinary families can afford to buy and consume enough of the right food. If the trend continues, the country could end up confronting a generation that is not only poorer, but also less healthy and less well nourished than the one before it. That would be a recipe for a much deeper social and economic crisis.

According to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Pakistanis are eating less and poorer-quality food as inflation and food insecurity rise, raising concerns about nutrition, health and future generations

Pakistanis are eating less. What they are eating instead is even more alarming

Inflation rose to 12.7 per cent year-on-year, the highest level in nine years mainly driven by an increase in prices of food items, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said in a report.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/pakistan">Inflation</a>, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), edged up by 1.3 per cent over the previous month after the PBS revised its calculation methodology by setting the new base year 2015-16 instead of the previous 2007-08 financial year, Dawn reported.

In a statement, the Finance Ministry claimed that inflation would come down from the next month, however, without divulging further details on how they figured this out.

The data released on Wednesday showed that higher prices of food items have been the largest driver in overall inflation in November.

It has also been observed that the prices of essential food items are higher in rural areas than in urban areas, the report said.

Food inflation in urban areas rose by 16.6 per cent in November on a yearly basis and 2.4 per cent on a monthly basis and that in rural areas by 19.3 per cent and 3.4 per cent, respectively.

Similarly, non-food inflation in urban centres was recorded at 9.6 per cent year-on-year, while it was 9 per cent in rural areas.

The rise in non-food inflation is mainly driven by an increase in oil prices over the past few months and a combined impact of the depreciation of the exchange rate.

Economist Ashfaque Hasan Khan, however, believes that inflation is likely to be "more than 13 per cent in December, and the expected increase in inflation numbers would be based on a hike in energy prices, currency devaluation and high-interest rates."

"Higher prices of imported items and raw materials due to the currency devaluation are being passed on to consumers. Companies are also passing on the higher costs of working capital amid increased interest rates to the consumers," Khan was quoted as saying by Geo News.

The central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 13.25 per cent in November, as expected, to prevent food inflation, nearing the top of its target range, from further spreading.

State Bank of Pakistan Governor Reza Baqir was recently quoted as saying that rising inflation "has partly been the result of the need to restore competitiveness in the exchange rate, increased administered prices to reduce fiscal deficits in the public sector, and unforeseen food supply disruptions."

Inflation rose to 12.7 per cent year-on-year, the highest level in nine years mainly driven by an increase in prices of food items, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said in a report.

Inflation rose to 12.7 per cent year-on-year, the highest level in nine years mainly driven by an increase in prices of food items, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said in a report. Inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), edged up by 1.3 per cent over the previous month after the PBS revised its calculation methodology by setting the new base year 2015-16 instead of the previous 2007-08 financial year, Dawn reported. In a statement, the Finance Ministry claimed that inflation would come down from the next month, however, without divulging further details on how they figured this out. The data released on Wednesday showed that higher prices of food items have been the largest driver in overall inflation in November. It has also been observed that the prices of essential food items are higher in rural areas than in urban areas, the report said. Food inflation in urban areas rose by 16.6 per cent in November on a yearly basis and 2.4 per cent on a monthly basis and that in rural areas by 19.3 per cent and 3.4 per cent, respectively. Similarly, non-food inflation in urban centres was recorded at 9.6 per cent year-on-year, while it was 9 per cent in rural areas. The rise in non-food inflation is mainly driven by an increase in oil prices over the past few months and a combined impact of the depreciation of the exchange rate. Economist Ashfaque Hasan Khan, however, believes that inflation is likely to be "more than 13 per cent in December, and the expected increase in inflation numbers would be based on a hike in energy prices, currency devaluation and high-interest rates." "Higher prices of imported items and raw materials due to the currency devaluation are being passed on to consumers. Companies are also passing on the higher costs of working capital amid increased interest rates to the consumers," Khan was quoted as saying by Geo News. The central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 13.25 per cent in November, as expected, to prevent food inflation, nearing the top of its target range, from further spreading. State Bank of Pakistan Governor Reza Baqir was recently quoted as saying that rising inflation "has partly been the result of the need to restore competitiveness in the exchange rate, increased administered prices to reduce fiscal deficits in the public sector, and unforeseen food supply disruptions."

Consumer inflation hits 9-year-high in Pakistan

Pakistan's trade deficit marginally contracted to $11.8 billion in the first four months of the current fiscal year on the back of almost flat growth in imports for the fourth consecutive month while the pace of increase in exports remained modest despite numerous rounds of currency depreciation.

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said the $11.8 billion deficit, recorded in July-October FY19, was nearly 2 per cent or $237 million lesser than in the same period last fiscal, The Express Tribune reported on Friday.

Exports in the July-October period increased 3.52 per cent to $7.3 billion. In absolute terms, the export receipts rose $248 million, but the pace of increase was slower than the preceding year.

The value of imported goods stood at $19.1 billion, which was only 0.6 per cent or $11 million higher than the import bill in the corresponding period of previous fiscal year.

Exports were 261 per cent less than the value of imports. Imports of the country have started to ease due to the State Bank of Pakistan's (SBP) numerous policy and administrative measures. Additionally, the federal government has imposed heavy regulatory duties on imported goods.

Over the past 10 months, the SBP has let the rupee depreciate by 26.6 per cent to 133.7 against the US dollar in a bid to curtail the current account deficit which is presently Pakistan's biggest challenge.

Owing to the slowdown in imports, the current account deficit narrowed to $3.7 billion in first quarter (July-September) of the current fiscal year.

However, despite a steep fall in the value of the currency, Pakistani exporters are unable to take full advantage of the situation because of their failure to diversify shipments. The government voices hope that exports will bounce back and register average growth of 18 per cent compared to last year's level.

China has offered a $1 billion duty-free facility to Pakistan for enhancing its exports. As compared to over $15 billion worth of imports, Pakistan exports only $1.2 billion worth of goods to China, which is not commensurate with the potential. Bilateral trade is regulated under the 2006 Free Trade Agreement.

Pakistan does not have exportable surplus and there is a high probability that the country will avail the $1 billion facility by exporting additional quantity of rice and some other agricultural produce.&nbsp;

Pakistan's trade deficit marginally contracted to $11.8 billion in the first four months of the current fiscal year on the back of almost flat growth in imports for the fourth consecutive month while the pace of increase in exports remained modest despite numerous rounds of currency depreciation.

Pakistan's trade deficit marginally contracted to $11.8 billion in the first four months of the current fiscal year on the back of almost flat growth in imports for the fourth consecutive month while the pace of increase in exports remained modest despite numerous rounds of currency depreciation. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said the $11.8 billion deficit, recorded in July-October FY19, was nearly 2 per cent or $237 million lesser than in the same period last fiscal, The Express Tribune reported on Friday. Exports in the July-October period increased 3.52 per cent to $7.3 billion. In absolute terms, the export receipts rose $248 million, but the pace of increase was slower than the preceding year. The value of imported goods stood at $19.1 billion, which was only 0.6 per cent or $11 million higher than the import bill in the corresponding period of previous fiscal year. Exports were 261 per cent less than the value of imports. Imports of the country have started to ease due to the State Bank of Pakistan's (SBP) numerous policy and administrative measures. Additionally, the federal government has imposed heavy regulatory duties on imported goods. Over the past 10 months, the SBP has let the rupee depreciate by 26.6 per cent to 133.7 against the US dollar in a bid to curtail the current account deficit which is presently Pakistan's biggest challenge. Owing to the slowdown in imports, the current account deficit narrowed to $3.7 billion in first quarter (July-September) of the current fiscal year. However, despite a steep fall in the value of the currency, Pakistani exporters are unable to take full advantage of the situation because of their failure to diversify shipments. The government voices hope that exports will bounce back and register average growth of 18 per cent compared to last year's level. China has offered a $1 billion duty-free facility to Pakistan for enhancing its exports. As compared to over $15 billion worth of imports, Pakistan exports only $1.2 billion worth of goods to China, which is not commensurate with the potential. Bilateral trade is regulated under the 2006 Free Trade Agreement. Pakistan does not have exportable surplus and there is a high probability that the country will avail the $1 billion facility by exporting additional quantity of rice and some other agricultural produce.

Pak trade deficit shrinks to $11.8 billion in first four months of current fiscal