Pakistan, July 14 -- ISLAMABAD - Pakistan's pulse imports have hit an all-time high, crossing 1.32 million tonnes during the first 10 months of fiscal year 2025, costing the country over $918 million. With May figures reaching 1.4 million tonnes ($970 million), experts warn that imports may break all previous records by the end of the fiscal year.

The sharp rise in imports is mainly due to a widening gap between demand and local production. Despite needing 700,000 to 900,000 tonnes of gram pulses annually, Pakistan's local yields continue to fall short. As a result, traders consistently import 600,000 to 700,000 tonnes each year to meet market demand.

According to the FY25 Economic Survey, gram production declined by 16.6%, alongside de...