Pakistan's food crisis hits homes as food insecurity jumps from 15.92% to 24.35%

The Pakistan's food crisis is now showing up on the dinner table. Families are cutting back on some of their most basic food items including wheat, rice, meat, milk and even tea. As household budgets have come under growing pressure and the numbers are telling a very worrying story. Food insecurity has risen sharply while consumption of several everyday staples has fallen. The data from Pakistan Bureau of Statistics cited by Pakistan Today shows that over the last six years households across both rural and urban areas have been consuming less wheat, rice, meat, milk and tea. In other words, families are not simply paying more for food. They're also changing what they buy and how much they eat. The food insecurity numbers make the picture even clearer. In 2018-19, 15.92% of the households were classified as moderate to severely food insecure. By 2024-25, that figure had climbed to about 24.35%. That is an increase of more than 8 percentage points in about six years. And severe food insecurity has more than doubled from 2.37% to 5.04%. The bigger concern is what this says about household purchasing power. When prices rise and incomes don't keep pace, families often respond by buying smaller quantities, cutting more expensive foods or switching to cheaper alternatives. But there is one striking exception. Vanaspati ghee consumption has apparently gone up by nearly 81%. Monthly consumption has increased from around 690 grams to about 1.25 kilograms. And the data does not by itself prove as to why ghee consumption is on the rise. But the shift is significant, particularly alongside falling consumption of several other food items. And this isn't only a rural problem. Households in the cities are also reporting lower consumption across several food categories. And Pakistan has also been a net food importer since at least 2021. And according to the report, the key issue emerging from these household figures is not simply whether food is available in the markets, it's also whether ordinary families can afford enough of it and also afford a nutritious diet.