Annual Report 2011:

Pakistan Oil seeds

Pakistan’s vegetable oil imports are forecast at a record 2.16 million metric tons in Marketing Year 2011/12, five per cent higher than the estimated 2.05 MMT imported in the 2010/11, according to the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.

Pakistan is a net importer of oilseeds and edible oils. Domestic production of edible oils is sufficient to meet only about 25 percent of total demand. Domestic oilseed production includes cotton seed, sunflower seed and rapeseed.
In 2011/12 oilseed production is forecast at 5.8 MMT, 24 percent higher than the estimated 4.7 MMT harvested in 2010. Cottonseed regularly accounts for about 82 percent of Pakistan total oilseeds production. Imports of oilseeds are forecast at 1.3 MMT (92 percent of which are rapeseed/ canola). Total supply of oilseed available for crushing in 2011/12 is forecasted at 6.13 MMT, 10 percent higher the previous year.

In 2011/12 domestic meal production is forecast at 2.97 MMT, up 10 percent from last year’s level mainly due to the expected increase in cotton seed production. In 2011/12 imports of soybean meal are forecast at a record 400,000 tons, 14 percent higher than last year imports. Virtually all of Pakistan’s soy meal imports are sourced from India.

In 2011/12 oil production is forecast at 1.5 million tons, 17 percent higher than the previous year. Vegetable oil imports are forecast at a record 2.16 MMT, an increase of 5 percent relative to 2010/11. Palm oil accounts for 81 percent of the total imports.

Total domestic oilseed production during 2011/12 (Oct-Sep) is forecast at 5.8 MMT, up 24 percent over the 2010/11 production estimate due to an anticipated increase in cottonseed production. Production of cottonseed is forecast at 4.8 MMT, 25 percent higher than last years flood reduced production level. Sunflower seed production is forecast at 750,000 tons, up 14 percent from last year and rapeseed production is forecast at 280,000 tons, 27 percent higher the previous year.

The estimate of Pakistan’s total oilseed production in 2010/11 was revised downward (9 percent) and is estimated at 4.7 MMT, mainly due to decrease in cotton production. The decline in cotton production is attributed to last years historic flooding, which resulted in the abandonment of 330,000 hectares of cotton planted area.