Pakistan is haemorrhaging an estimated $2 billion every year in post-harvest losses, driven by crumbling storage infrastructure, fragmented supply chains, and weak enforcement of quality standards — with the country's agribusiness sector bearing the heaviest cost, according to a report published in Dawn.

Scale of the Crisis

Pakistan's food losses rank among the highest in South Asia, particularly for perishable produce such as fruits and vegetables. Inadequate post-harvest infrastructure leaves farmers with little ability to market their produce profitably, and in several cases, volatile prices and high transportation costs make it economically unviable to send crops to market at all — resulting in large volumes being discarded.

The absence of adequate cold storage infrastructure alone accounts for roughly $1.2 billion in annual post-harvest losses, according to the report, pointing to a structural weakness at the heart of Pakistan's agricultural value chain.

Farmers Caught in a Price Trap

Syed Mehmood Nawaz Shah, President of the Sindh Abadgar Board, captured the predicament bluntly: 'There is a lot of focus when tomatoes are Rs 500 a kg, but nobody talks when they are being sold for Rs 5 per kg,' he was quoted as saying in the report. The analogy — likening vegetable farming to gambling — reflects the extreme price volatility that growers face season after season, with no reliable buffer mechanism in place.

Missed Export Opportunities

Beyond domestic losses, Pakistan is reportedly forfeiting significant export earnings due to inadequate compliance with international quality and safety standards. Stronger enforcement and wider adoption of global certifications could help the country generate an additional $2 billion to $3 billion in export revenues, the report noted.

Waste Management Gap

The report also flagged Pakistan's poor waste management practices, noting that the country's recycling rate remains below 5 per cent — compared with 25 per cent in neighbouring India. As a result, Pakistan is estimated to forgo around $1 billion in potential economic gains from waste-management technologies, compounding the losses from agricultural inefficiency.

What Needs to Change

Analysts and industry bodies have long called for investment in cold chain logistics, rural warehousing, and standardised grading systems as first-order remedies. Without structural reforms across the agricultural value chain — from farm gate to export terminal — the annual losses are likely to persist. The report's findings add urgency to calls for multilateral and domestic investment in Pakistan's agri-infrastructure.