Archive · 2 Sep 2026
Pakistan Families Cut Essential Foods as Food Insecurity Deepens
Many families in Pakistan are buying less food than they did several years ago.
They are eating less wheat, rice, meat and milk, and drinking less tea.
Families are also making smaller portions and choosing cheaper products.
Vanaspati ghee, a low-cost source of fat, is one major exception and is being used much more.
This suggests that household budgets are affecting what people eat.
Nearly one in four households faced moderate to severe food insecurity in 2024-25.
Food insecurity means people may struggle to get enough nutritious food regularly, but it does not mean every affected person is starving.
The articles warn that poorer diets could harm health, growth and productivity over time.
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics data shows household consumption of wheat, rice, meat, milk and tea declined over six years.
Families in urban and rural Pakistan are buying smaller quantities and substituting expensive foods with cheaper alternatives.
Monthly vanaspati ghee consumption rose 81%, from 690 grams to 1.25 kilograms.
Households facing moderate to severe food insecurity increased from 15.92% in 2018-19 to 24.35% in 2024-25.
Severe food shortages more than doubled, rising from 2.37% to 5.04% of households.
- Who
- Pakistani households, including families in urban and rural areas, as measured using Pakistan Bureau of Statistics data.
- What
- Consumption of several essential foods has declined, while vanaspati ghee consumption and food insecurity have increased.
- When
- The consumption comparison covers the six years ending in 2024-25; food insecurity is compared between 2018-19 and 2024-25.
- Where
- Pakistan, including both urban and rural areas.
- Why
- Rising food prices and household budget pressures are encouraging families to reduce quantities and choose cheaper alternatives, although the ghee increase cannot be attributed to inflation alone from the data provided.
Concerned interpretation
Cautious interpretation
Meaning of the dietary shift
Concerned interpretation
The decline in milk, meat, rice, wheat and other foods, combined with higher ghee use, suggests that affordability is pushing families toward diets that provide cheaper calories but may offer less nutrition.
Cautious interpretation
The data show changes in consumption but do not by themselves prove that inflation caused the rise in ghee use; income, prices, preferences and substitution patterns may also have contributed.
Meaning of food insecurity figures
Concerned interpretation
The increase to 24.35% of households facing moderate to severe food insecurity indicates a serious deterioration in access to adequate and nutritious food.
Cautious interpretation
Food insecurity indicates difficulty obtaining sufficient and nutritious food consistently, but it does not mean that every affected household is starving or malnourished.
- Food consumption
- Household consumption of wheat, rice, meat, milk and tea declined over the six-year period discussed.
- Vanaspati ghee
- Monthly consumption increased from 690 grams to 1.25 kilograms, an approximately 81% rise.
- Moderate to severe food insecurity
- The share of households rose from 15.92% in 2018-19 to 24.35% in 2024-25.
- Severe food shortages
- The share of households increased from 2.37% to 5.04% over the same period.
- Urban and rural impact
- Food consumption declined across both urban and rural Pakistan, while food insecurity is reported as more severe in rural areas.
- Pakistan's food trade position
- The article reports that Pakistan has been a net food importer since at least 2021.
