Pakistanis consumed tea worth more than Rs179 billion during the fiscal year 2024-25, official documents have revealed.
According to data obtained from official sources, the country imported 246,514 metric tons of tea in FY2024-25, at a cost of $629 million. This marks a 4.2 per cent decrease compared to the previous fiscal year, when 259,000 metric tons were imported.
Despite the dip in volume, the tea import bill remained substantial amid rupee depreciation and inflationary pressures, underlining tea’s persistent role as a household staple across Pakistan.
In June 2025 alone, tea worth Rs14.18 billion was consumed across the country. The month saw the import of 19,804 metric tons of tea, with a foreign exchange expenditure exceeding $49.7 million. Compared to May 2025, when 21,971 metric tons of tea were brought in, this reflects a month-on-month decline of 16.94 per cent in volume.
May also registered the highest monthly tea import bill of the fiscal year at nearly $60 million, the documents showed.
While the overall yearly reduction in tea imports may signal marginal shifts in consumption patterns or tighter import controls, the value figures suggest that tea remains a priority item in the national import basket.
Pakistan is among the world’s top tea importers and consumers, with the beverage deeply embedded in daily routines, cultural practices, and hospitality traditions. Economists, however, have often pointed to high tea imports as a contributor to the country’s mounting trade deficit, especially given the pressure on foreign exchange reserves.
Government officials have previously mulled measures to curb unnecessary imports, including luxury items, though tea has consistently remained exempt due to its widespread consumption and sociocultural significance.
