Pakistan is a good place to get onions from. The onions that are grown in Pakistan are very good. They are colorful. They taste great. People in Asia and the Middle East really like them because they last a time. If you want to start a business that sends goods to countries onions are a good thing to start with. You do not have to know a lot, about it to get started.
We will tell you everything you need to know about sending onions from Pakistan. We will talk about the kinds of onions to send where to get them how much they cost how to pack them what papers you need and how to get them to other countries. We will also tell you how money you can make from one big shipment of onions. When you finish reading this you will know what to do to get your shipment of onions sent out.
Why People Love Pakistani Onions So Much
Pakistan is one of the onion producers in the world. It makes a lot of onions around 2.3 million tons every year. This is way more than people in Pakistan can eat so there are a lot of onions left over to sell to countries.
What makes Pakistani onions so special is not how many there are, but how good they are. People in countries like Malaysia, Sri Lanka and the UAE really like onions. They like them because they are a bright color they are firm and they last a long time. This means people keep coming back to buy onions year after year.
The Main Kinds of Onions Grown in Pakistan
If you want to sell onions to countries you need to know what you are selling. Pakistan grows a lot of kinds of onions but there are four main kinds that are good for exporting.
1. Fukri Onions from Punjab
Fukri onions are grown mostly in Punjab. They are medium to large in size. Are a nice bright red color. They can be stored for a time and are really good for exporting. This is why they are one of the two exported kinds of onions from Pakistan.
2. Nasarpur Onions from Sindh
Nasarpur onions are named after a town in Sindh. They are medium in size. Have a nice pink color. They have a flavor and can be stored for a long time. This is why they are the exported kind of onion from Pakistan making up about 40% of all the onions that are exported.
3. Sharaab Red Onions from Balochistan
Sharaab onions are from Balochistan. They are medium in size. Have a bright red skin. They are a little sweet. Can be stored for a moderate amount of time. A lot of people want to buy these onions so they are really good for exporting.
4. Chilton Onions from Balochistan
Chilton onions are named after an area in Balochistan. They are medium in size, bright red and have a flavor. They can be stored for a time, which is why people from other countries really like to buy them.
There are kinds of onions grown in Pakistan like Desi Red onions, which are grown in Sindh and Punjab. But these onions do not last long and are not as good for exporting so they are mostly sold in local markets.
How Many Onions Are Produced by Variety
- Nasarpur onions: 40%
- Fukri onions: 30%
- Desi Red onions: about 15%
- Other kinds of onions: about 15%
How Many Onions Are Produced by Province
- Sindh: about 50%
- Punjab: 30%
- Balochistan: 15%
- KPK: about 5%
If you are just starting to export onions you should start with Nasarpur and Fukri onions. These are the popular kinds of onions and are really good for exporting. Pakistani onions are really popular. People love them because they are good quality and last a long time. This is why Pakistani onions are in demand all, around the world.
Pakistans Onion Export Growth Over the Years
Onion exports from Pakistan have been growing steadily. This is a sign for the business.
- 2020: around 120,000 metric tons of onions were exported
- 2021: the export went up to around 135,000 tons
- 2022: it was around 150,000 metric tons
- 2023: Pakistan is expected to export around 160,000 metric tons of onions
The demand for Pakistani onions is not decreasing. In fact it is still growing. This is news, for people who want to start exporting onions from Pakistan today. Onion export business is looking good in Pakistan.
Top Countries That Import Onions from Pakistan
Pakistan sends onions to countries. These countries are Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the UAE, Singapore, Qatar, Bangladesh, Oman, Kuwait, the United States, Canada, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, South Korea, South Africa the United Kingdom and Vietnam.
Pakistan onions are mostly exported to three main countries.
- Malaysia gets 40 percent of the total onions exported from Pakistan
- Sri Lanka gets 30 percent of the total onions exported from Pakistan
- The UAE gets 10 percent of the total onions exported from Pakistan
These three countries, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and the UAE get about 80 percent of all the onions that Pakistan exports. The rest of the onions 20 percent go to other countries like Singapore, Qatar and Vietnam. So if you are new to this you should look for buyers in Malaysia, Sri Lanka and the UAE first. This will give you a chance of succeeding in the Pakistan onion export business, which is all, about exporting Pakistan onions.
Where to Find Onions in Pakistan
It is really important to know where to buy onions. This is just as important as knowing who to sell them to. The place where you buy onions affects the price, the quality and whether they are available or not and this changes with the season.
Sindh
Most of the good quality onions from Nasarpur come from Sindh. They come from places like Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Jamshoro, Matiari, Shikarpur, Nawabshah, Hyderabad and the areas around these districts. In Sindh onions are harvested from November to April. You can buy onions directly from the farmers, which’s cheaper but you have to clean and pack them yourself.. You can buy onions from big markets like the vegetable market on the Karachi Super Highway. This market has everything you need like exporters, dealers people to clean the onions and people to pack them.
Balochistan
Onions from Balochistan come from areas like Sibi, Nasirabad, Khuzdar, Awaran, Mastung, Lasbela and Chagai. They grow two kinds of onions here Sharaab Red and Chilton. The onions are harvested from October to November.
Punjab
In Punjab onions are grown in places like Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Vehari and Rahim Yar Khan. This is where you can find the Fukri onions, which are harvested until July.
KPK
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also grows onions, like the Izli variety, which is harvested from August to October.
Buying onions directly from the farmers is usually cheaper.. Markets like the vegetable market in Karachi are very convenient. You can find suppliers, people to clean the onions sort them pack them in mesh sacks and labor to help you all in one place. This makes it much easier, for people who are just starting out to buy onions.
Current Market Prices For Reference
The prices of things change every day. I want to give you an idea of how pricing works in the Karachi market.
- Afghan onions cost around PKR 4,000 to 4,500 per maund which is 40 kilograms of onions
- Sindh onions cost around PKR 5,500 to 6,000 per maund of Sindh onions
- Balochistan onions cost around PKR 5,000 to 8,000 per maund of Balochistan onions
To find out the price per kilogram of onions you can simply divide the price of one maund of onions by 40.
Sample Cost Breakdown For One Container
Let us use Sindh onions as an example to see how the math works out.
- The average cost of Sindh onions is around PKR 10 per kilogram of Sindh onions
- The cost of packing materials like mesh sacks or bardana and labor is around PKR 3.35 per kilogram of Sindh onions
- The total cost of Sindh onions that are fully processed and loaded is around PKR 13.35 per kilogram of Sindh onions. We will calculate the total prepared cost later
- A standard container can hold around 28 tons of Sindh onions
- The estimated cost of Sindh onions is around PKR 4.9 million for 28 tons of Sindh onions
- The cost of transportation from the market to the port is around PKR 25,000
- The cost of freight from Karachi to Jebel Ali Port in the UAE is around PKR 1,920 per unit of Sindh onions but this cost varies based on the destination
- The cost of customs clearance will be added on top of the cost of Sindh onions
The total estimated investment per container of Sindh onions is, around PKR 5,385,000 but this number will change slightly based on the daily market rates of Sindh onions the cost of freight and the destination port.
How Profit Can You Make From Onions
The profit you can make from onions depends a lot on the time of year and how many onions are available in the world. When it is not the time for onions you can make money from selling them especially when India, a big exporter of onions is not allowed to export them. This means people in countries want to buy onions from Pakistan instead.
To give you an idea, people who sell onions to countries can usually make at least ₹2 lakh from one container of onions. They can even make money when a lot of people want to buy onions. Some people who sell onions say they can make, over ₹1 lakh even when it is not a time and they make even more money when a lot of people want onions. The main thing that affects how money you can make from onions is how many onions are available and how many people want to buy them. When other countries do not have onions people want to buy Pakistani onions so the price of onions goes up and you can make more money from selling them.
Onion Hs Codes
You need to get the HS code correct for the customs papers.
- For onions the HS code is 0703.
- For processed onion products like fried onions, onion flakes and onion powder the HS code is 0712.
Pakistan exports onions and also processed onion products. People in countries want to buy onion flakes and powder. The process of exporting these products is much the same.
What You Need To Pack Onions
Onions that are exported are put in mesh bags. These bags can hold, between 10 to 25 kilograms of onions. The buyer decides how much each bag should hold. The mesh bags let air in which helps keep the onions fresh while they are being moved. You can get the bags and the people to pack the onions at the market where you buy them. This way you can clean, sort. Pack the onions all in one place before you load them up.
Pakistans Competitors in the Global Onion Market
You need to know who you are up against in the onion market. This helps you figure out how much to charge for onions and how good they should be. The countries that sell the onions to other countries are
- Netherlands
- India
- China
- Mexico
- Other big producers
- United States
- Spain
- Egypt
- Turkey
- New Zealand
Pakistan competes with these countries when it comes to the onion market.. Pakistan has a big advantage when big countries like India do not sell their onions to other countries. Pakistan onion market is strong, at these times. The Global Onion Market is where Pakistan onion producers sell their onions. In the Global Onion Market Pakistan onion producers compete with countries.
How to Start Exporting Onions Registration and Documentation
Step 1: Business Registration
If you want to export Onions from Pakistan your business must be properly registered. You can register your business or work with someone who already has an export-registered business.
To register your business you need to do these things:
- Register for Sales Tax
- Register with the Chamber of Commerce
- Register with PSW (Pakistan Single Window)
The registration process is easy. Does not require a lot of money. It is designed to help exporters like you.
Step 2: Required Export Documents
After registering your business you need to prepare these documents for each shipment of Onions:
- Commercial Invoice (in multiple sets)
- Certificate of Origin
- Phytosanitary Certificate
- Bill of Lading
These documents help customs authorities in the destination country know where your Onions come from and that they are of quality. You can hire a clearing agent to handle most of the paperwork for you. This makes it easier, for beginners who do not know much about export documentation.
Finding Buyers Selling Your Onions
Once you have your container ready you can do a things to sell your onions.
- You can sell your onions to someone you do not have to meet this is called selling to a direct buyer. When you do this your job is done when the container gets to the port where it is going. After that the buyer is in charge of your onions.
- You can also sell your onions through an agent. This agent will be at the market where your onions are going like the markets in Dubai. The agent will get your onions through customs. Sell them for you. The agent will take some of the money from the sale as their fee.
- Some people like to travel to the market and sell their onions in person. They like to meet the buyers and talk to them face to face. This is what some exporters do in really busy places like the UAE.
You should be careful when you are selling your onions. There are risks when you are exporting things and sometimes people try to cheat you. This can happen when you are trying to get paid. It is usually safer to work with someone you trust like an agent who has been doing this for a while. This is especially true when you are just starting out with selling your onions. Working with a trusted agent is better, than trying to deal with buyers you do not know.
Tips for Long-Term Success in Onion Export
If you want to have a business that keeps selling onions for a time remember these things:
- Be there when you are getting the onions and packing them. It is very important to check the quality of the onions. If you are not there have someone you trust do it for you. This way you can make sure that bad onions do not get mixed with the ones.
- Never sell onions even if you make a little less money. If someone buys onions from you they will not buy from you again.
- Make friends with the people who buy onions from you. If someone buys onions from you all the time they are more important to your business than someone who only buys once.
- Pay attention to when it’s the right time to get onions from different places. Onions from Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab or KPK are available at times of the year. If you know when to get them you can get a price.
- Keep an eye on what’s happening with onions in other countries, especially India. Sometimes India does not let its onions be sold in countries and this can be good, for people who sell onions from Pakistan.
Final Thoughts
Exporting onions from Pakistan is a business chance even for those new to exporting. The onion export business grows every year. There is demand from countries like Malaysia, Sri Lanka and the UAE. The process of registering and documenting is also simple.
To succeed you need to do three things right. First you need to find good-quality onions at a price. Then you need to pack and ship them correctly. Finally you need to build trust with buyers so they come back to you. If you get these three things right exporting onions can give you an income.
If you have questions about getting started with onion export you can ask them in the comments. If this guide was helpful, to you you can share it with someone who is also looking into the export business.
