ISLAMABAD: The food exports from Pakistan went up by 37.12% during the first five months of the current fiscal year as compared to the same period of last year, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Monday.
Food exports during July-November (2023-24) were recorded at 2,640.905 million dollars as compared to the exports of 1,925.969 million dollars in July-November (2022-23), a surge of 37.12%, according to the latest PBS data.
The food products that contributed to the positive growth in the food trade included rice, the exports of which surged by 49.37%, from 749.407 million dollars last year to 1,119.406 million dollars during the current fiscal year.
Likewise, the exports of fruits went up by 15.27%, from 111.160 million dollars to 128.139 million dollars; leguminous vegetables by 79.01%, from 0.047 million dollars last year to 0.084 million dollars; and spices by 19.21%, from 37.898 million dollars to 45.179 million dollars.
The exports of oil seeds, nuts, and kernels went up by 263.82%, from 226.47 million dollars to 350.378 million US dollars; sugar by 100%, from zero exports to 21.070 million dollars; meat and meat preparations by 21.81%, from 160.657 million dollars to 195.701 million dollars.
The food items that recorded negative growth in the trade included fish and fish preparations, the exports of which dropped by 12.87%, from 185.802 million dollars to 161.896 million dollars, vegetables by 27.15%, from 121.800 million dollars to 88.728 million dollars, and tobacco by 31.23 million dollars, from $24.357 million to 16.750 million dollars.
The exports of all other food products went up from 438.537 million dollars to 513.574 million dollars, an increase of 17.11%, according to PBS data.
Pakistan’s Exports on YoY Basis
Meanwhile, on a year-on-year basis, the food exports during November 2023 increased by 60.65% to 696.183 million dollars compared to exports of 433.365 million dollars, showing growth of 60.65%.
On a month-on-month basis, the food exports went up by 4.85% in November 2023 when compared to the exports of 663.984 million dollars in October 2023.
