Wood fuel market in Pakistan

Earlier Report Observations

From 2018 to 2020, Pakistan's wood fuel market volume remained stable at approximately 29.5 million m³. This stability was underpinned by continued heavy reliance on fuelwood for cooking in rural households, particularly in Sindh where over 40% of families used it. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 reinforced this demand as global supply chain disruptions and commodity price surges made alternative fuels like LPG less affordable, sustaining consumption of traditional wood fuel.

The market contracted to 28.4 million m³ in 2021, partly due to a reduced wood supply following extensive forest fires in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during 2018-2019 that destroyed over 1.2 million trees. Subsequent severe flooding in 2022 caused further damage to forest resources and supply chains. However, demand for wood fuel was supported by a sharp rise in the cost of alternative energies following the Russia-Ukraine conflict, contributing to a gradual market recovery to 28.5 million m³ by 2023.

Production wood fuel in Pakistan

In kind, 2017-2020, K m³

Pakistan was among the world's leading producers of wood fuel from 2017 to 2020, ranking 13th globally by production volume during this period.

Top producers of wood fuel, 2017-2020

World map of production of wood fuel, 2017-2020

In 2020, Pakistan produced 29 533 thousand cubic meters of wood fuel, showing only a slight fluctuation compared to the previous year. The largest decline occurred in 2018, at 0.0%, while the largest increase was also recorded in 2018, at 0.0%.

Annual dynamics of production in Pakistan in kind, 2017-2020, K m³

Exports wood fuel from Pakistan

Exports in kind, m³

The market exhibited significant volatility during these years. The lowest export volume was recorded in 2018 at 117 cubic meters, while the highest occurred in 2019 at 643 cubic meters, representing a 5.5-fold difference between the peak and trough. In 2020, wood fuel exports from Pakistan totaled 298 cubic meters, marking a 53.7% year-on-year decline. The largest decrease was in 2018 at 63.0%, and the largest increase was in 2019 at 449.5%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Pakistan in kind, 2017-2020, m³

From 2017 to 2020, the United Arab Emirates remained the primary buyer of wood fuel from Pakistan, accounting for 72.7% of total exports in volume, with the remainder distributed among various other countries.

Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Pakistan in kind, 2017-2020

Exports in value, K $ US

The market showed an unstable trend throughout this period. Export values varied 3.3 times from the low in 2018 to the high in 2020. In 2020, Pakistan exported 97.1 thousand US dollars worth of wood fuel, indicating a sharp increase of 208.7% compared to the previous year. The minimum value was recorded in 2018 at 29.4 thousand US dollars, with the largest decline that year at 65.2%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Pakistan in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

During 2017–2020, the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan were the main markets for Pakistan's wood fuel exports in value terms, together representing 96.8% of total flows, while other partners made up the remaining share.

Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's exports from Pakistan in value, 2017-2020

Imports wood fuel to Pakistan

Imports in kind, m³

Foreign wood fuel supplies to Pakistan increased for the third consecutive year. In 2020, imports totaled 3 095 cubic meters, showing a 19.0% improvement compared to 2019. Over the period from 2017 to 2020, imports grew by 271.6%, with a compound annual growth rate of 54.9%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Pakistan in kind, 2017-2020, m³

From 2017 to 2020, the United States (39.9% of imports in volume), Vietnam (25.2%), and China (17.8%) continued to be the leading suppliers of wood fuel to Pakistan, together accounting for 82.9% of total imports in kind.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Pakistan in kind, 2017-2020

Imports in value, K $ US

After two years of improvement, imported wood fuel volumes to Pakistan declined. In 2020, imports registered 635.2 thousand US dollars, reflecting a 28.8% fall versus the previous year. Over the 2017–2020 period, imports decreased by 19.1%, with a compound annual growth rate of 6.8%. The maximum value was recorded in 2019 at 891.8 thousand US dollars, with the largest increase that year at 7.6%.

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Pakistan in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

In 2017–2020, Vietnam (38.0% of imports in value terms), Italy (25.6%), and China (13.3%) were the primary sources for Pakistan's wood fuel imports in monetary terms, together making up 76.8% of total flows.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

World map of product's imports to Pakistan in value, 2017-2020