Pakistan’s exports of animal-origin flours and meals to China saw a 16% increase from January to May 2025, signaling a strengthening trade partnership in the agriculture and feed sector between the two nations.
Data from China’s General Administration of Customs shows that Pakistan exported over 21.13 million kilograms of products such as fishmeal and by-product pellets under the code 23012010. These are primarily used in animal feed and were valued at $19.87 million in the first five months of 2025, up from $17.17 million in the same period in 2024. The average price was $0.94 per kilogram.
Experts attribute this growth to China’s rising demand for protein-rich feed to support its livestock and aquaculture industries. Pakistan’s fishmeal, mainly derived from marine waste, is popular due to its affordability and consistent protein quality.
Exporter Abid Ali noted that Pakistan is actively improving fishmeal quality. Although its oil yield, ranging from 5–7%, is slightly below China’s domestic products (8–10%), Pakistani fishmeal remains competitive because of its raw material composition and processing methods.
Ali added that Pakistani fishmeal isn’t sold in retail markets in China but is instead utilized by industrial buyers in provinces like Guangdong, Shandong, and Fujian. It’s commonly used in feed formulations for poultry, pigs, and fish farming.
Analysts believe this upward trend will likely continue, supported by steady fishing activity along Pakistan’s coast and China’s favorable trade policies under CPFTA Phase-II.
With improvements in processing technology and stricter quality control, Pakistan has the potential to further grow its presence in China’s animal feed market, strengthening trade ties under the Belt and Road Initiative.
For context, in 2024, Pakistan exported 22,639.95 tons of fish-based feed worth $24.92 million. That year, Peru, Chile, and Russia led global exports of the product to China with export values of $1.466 billion, $291 million, and $271 million, respectively.
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