ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Thursday that Pakistan’s exports in terms of the rupee experienced an increase of 25.54 percent during the first quarter (Q1) of this fiscal year compared to the same period of the previous year.
According to preliminary figures given by PBS, exports from July through September of 2023–24 were Rs. 2,013,533 million, up from Rs. 1,603,869 million during the same period the previous year. This data represents an increase of 25.54 percent.
Compared to September 2022, when exports were Rs. 561,643 million, September 2023 witnessed an increase in exports of 31.27 percent and touched the Rs. 737,295 million figures.
On a month-on-month basis, the exports rose by 6.06 percent compared to Rs. 695,136 million in August 2023.
The primary commodities of exports were readymade garments (Rs. 74,608 million), knitwear (Rs. 103,029 million), bedwear (Rs. 69,234 million), oil seeds, nuts, and kernels (Rs.46,571 million), towels (Rs.25,116 million), rice basmati (Rs.19,008 million), cotton cloth (Rs. 51,891 million), cotton yarn (Rs.33,815 million), rice others (Rs.32,324 million), and made up articles excluding towels and bedwear (Rs.16,922 million).
However, imports during July– September (2023 FY2023-24) amounted to Rs. 3,560,763 million as against Rs. 3,650,269 million during the same period of the previous year, indicating a decrease of 2.45%.
On a year-on-year basis, in September 2023, imports into Pakistan totaled Rs.1,189,167 million as against Rs.1,219,956 million in September 2022, indicating a fall of 2.52 percent.
On a month-on-month basis, imports into Pakistan experienced a rise of 10.62 percent in September 2023, compared to Rs.1,330,458 million in August 2023.
The primary items of imports during September 2023 were petroleum crude (Rs.146,179 million), petroleum products (Rs. 162,087 million), palm oil (Rs. 61,388 million), electric machinery & apparatus (Rs.44,699 million), natural gas, liquified (Rs.75,331 million), plastic materials (Rs. 49,628 million), iron & steel (Rs.44,191 million), pulses/leguminous vegetables (Rs.22,208 million) mobile phones (Rs.37,093 million), and iron & steel scrap (Rs.27,299 million). —APP
