ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s merchandise exports dipped 20.41 per cent to $2.317 billion in December 2025 from $2.911bn over the corresponding period last year, making it the fifth consecutive month of decline in the current fiscal year, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said on Friday. On a month-on-month basis, the export proceeds posted a negative growth of 4.26pc in December. The falling trend in exports has yet to raise alarm among policymakers because no meeting was held to identify the reasons. The negative growth in exports continued since August of the current fiscal year, barring July which saw proceeds growing 16.43pc from a year ago. Export earnings continued their downward trajectory for the fifth consecutive month, with proceeds declining by 14.54pc in November. This follows drops of 4.46pc in October, 3.88pc in September, and 12.49pc in August, reflecting persistent pressures on the country’s external trade performance. Trade gap widens 35pc in first half, driven by fifth straight monthly contraction In the first half (July-December), the export proceeds recorded a negative growth of 8.70pc to $15.184bn this year as against $16.631bn over the corresponding months of last year. The persistent decline underscores mounting pressure on the country’s trade performance, as exporters grapple with subdued global markets and the high cost of doing business in the country. The textile exporters have already complained about contractions owing to the high cost of doing business. In FY25, export proceeds rose 4.67pc to $32.106bn against $30.675bn in the preceding year. The negative growth in exports is a major concern for the exporters. Trade deficit According to the PBS data , imports grew 2pc to $6.022bn in December 2025 from $5.904bn over the corresponding month of last year. Month-on-month, imports increased 13.49pc. In the first six months of 2025-26, the import bill posted a growth of 11.28pc to $34.388bn against $30.902bn over the corresponding months of last year. The import rose 6.57pc to $58.38bn in July-June FY25 from $54.78bn over the last year. The trade deficit rose 23.79pc to $3.705bn in December 2025 from $2.993bn over the corresponding month of last year. The trade deficit swelled 34.57pc to $19.204bn in July-December 2025-26 against $14.271bn over the corresponding period last year. The trade deficit FY25 widened by 9pc to $26.27bn from $24.11bn over the preceding year. Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2026