Pakistan Gets Its First Taste of Sri Lankan Pineapple
Pakistan is getting its first taste of fresh Sri Lankan pineapple, opening a new chapter in the country’s agricultural exports and giving local growers and exporters access to a market with considerable potential.
The first-ever 20-foot container of fresh Sri Lankan pineapples has been shipped to Pakistan by C R Exports (Pvt) Ltd, marking an important step in efforts to widen the overseas market for Sri Lanka’s tropical fruit.
The achievement is the result of prolonged technical discussions and cooperation between the plant protection authorities of Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), Sri Lanka High Commission in Pakistan, Pakistan High Commission in Sri Lanka and the Department of Commerce worked closely on the process, with technical support from the Department of Agriculture (DOA) and the National Plant Quarantine Service (NPQS).
For a fresh fruit shipment to cross into a new market, commercial interest alone is not enough. The two countries had to establish the necessary phytosanitary arrangements to meet Pakistan’s plant health requirements.
The process included an inspection visit to Sri Lanka by Mr Mohammad Aqeed, an Entomologist of Pakistan’s National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO). He inspected selected pineapple orchards and pack houses, with the findings subsequently considered by the Pakistani authorities as part of their technical evaluation.
Following the assessment, Pakistan granted approval for the import of fresh pineapples from Sri Lanka, subject to the issuance of a Phytosanitary Certificate by Sri Lanka’s National Plant Quarantine Service.
Sri Lanka’s pineapple exports are also subject to production and registration requirements. Export consignments are sourced from fields certified under Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), while the relevant producers and exporters are registered with the Department of Agriculture.
The opening of the Pakistani market is significant because of the size of the potential demand.
Pakistan, with a population of around 252 million, imports between 2,000 and 5,000 metric tonnes of pineapples each year, with an import value of approximately US$10 million.
Thailand and the Philippines currently remain the major suppliers to the Pakistani market. Sri Lanka hopes to establish a share of this trade by offering pineapples known for their distinctive taste, quality and freshness. The geographical proximity of the two countries could provide an additional advantage.
For Sri Lanka, finding new markets has become increasingly important as the country seeks to expand its agricultural exports and reach its longer-term export targets.
In 2025, Sri Lanka generated approximately US$2 million in export revenue from pineapple products. The opening of Pakistan as a fresh-fruit market could therefore provide an opportunity to build on that base.
And pineapple may only be the beginning.
Efforts are also under way to explore opportunities for introducing other Sri Lankan agricultural products, including avocados and oranges, to the Pakistani market.
The new trade opportunity is expected to help Sri Lanka maximise the benefits of the Pakistan–Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (PSFTA), while also strengthening commercial and economic links between the two countries.
Behind the first container is a network of growers, exporters, plant-health specialists, trade officials and diplomatic missions that had to work together before the fruit could make its way into a new market.
The real test now will be whether the first shipment can develop into a steady trade flow, creating sustained opportunities for Sri Lankan producers.
For the moment, however, one thing has already been achieved: Sri Lankan pineapple has crossed into a new market, and Pakistan has had its first taste.
