Buying
Seasonal fruits and vegetables in Pakistan: a month-by-month calendar
In Pakistan, winter brings carrots, cauliflower, spinach, peas and kinnow; spring brings strawberries, spring potatoes and onions; summer brings mangoes, melons, lychee and gourds; and autumn brings apples, guava, pomegranate and the first winter vegetables. Exact timing shifts by region, altitude and year.
How to read this calendar
Pakistan's agricultural year is organised around two main cropping seasons. Kharif crops are sown from around June and harvested from about October or November, and rabi crops are sown from around November to April. Fruit and vegetables follow their own climate-driven windows within that frame.
What is in season, season by season
| Season | Vegetables | Fruit |
|---|---|---|
| Winter (Dec to Feb) | Carrot (gajar), cauliflower (gobhi), cabbage, spinach (palak), peas (matar), turnip (shaljam), radish (mooli), fenugreek (methi), mustard greens (sarson) | Kinnow and other citrus, guava, pomegranate (early winter) |
| Spring (Mar to May) | Spring potatoes, onions, tomatoes, cucumber, early okra | Strawberries, loquat, early melons, apricots (late spring) |
| Summer (Jun to Aug) | Okra (bhindi), bottle gourd (lauki), ridge gourd (tori), bitter gourd (karela), tinda, brinjal, arvi, green chillies | Mango, watermelon, melon, lychee, plum, peach, jamun, falsa, grapes |
| Autumn (Sep to Nov) | First cauliflower, carrot, turnip and spinach of the winter crop; sweet potato | Apple, guava, pomegranate, persimmon, early kinnow |
Staples available most of the year
Potatoes and onions are available through most of the year because Punjab grows more than one crop of each and they store well. The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics publishes crop calendars for potato and onion that show the sowing and harvest windows.
Tips for buying in season
- Buy the crop when it is at its peak: it needs less storage, travels a shorter time, and is usually cheaper.
- For mangoes, lychee and other short-season fruit, order at the start of the window and again mid-way, rather than all at once.
- In winter, buy leafy greens in small, frequent orders and roots in larger ones.
- Out-of-season produce is possible with storage or long transport, but it has usually travelled further or been held longer.
Plan what you buy using the direct buying guide, and keep it fresh with the storage guide.
Common questions
What vegetables are in season in Pakistan in winter?
Winter vegetables in Pakistan include carrot, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, peas, turnip, radish, fenugreek and mustard greens. They grow well in cool weather and are generally freshest between December and February.
When is mango season in Pakistan?
Mangoes are in season through the summer, from around May into September, with different varieties ripening at different times. Early and late varieties vary by region, mainly in Sindh and southern Punjab.
Sources
See how Farm2Fork puts this into practice
Direct orders from named farms, delivery quotes up front, and a QR journey for every order.