ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s food group exports during the first eight months of the current financial year grew by 54.05% as compared to the exports of the same period last year.
During the period from July-February, 2023-24, different food commodities worth 4.969 billion dollars were exported as compared to the exports of 3.225 billion dollars in the corresponding period of the previous year, according to the data of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
The exports of rice grew by 85.83% as over 3.932 million metric tons of rice valued at 2.517 billion dollars were exported as compared to the exports of 2.546 million tons worth 1.354 billion dollars in the same period of last year, it said.
During the period under review, the exports of fruits and vegetables increased by 13.89% and 39.27 per cent respectively as 688,950 metric tons of fruits valued at 246.463 million dollars and 724,252 metric tons of vegetables worth 277.064 million dollars were exported.
The other commodities that registered positive growth in their respective exports included pulses at 268.68% as pulses valued at 173,000 dollars, tobacco at 32.09% worth 60.581 million dollars and the exports of spices went up by 21.10% and recorded at 78.107 million dollars.
Pakistan’s Imports
Meanwhile, the imports of food commodities into Pakistan during the first eight months of the current financial year decreased by 18.33% as against the imports of the same period of last year. The imports of food commodities during the period under review came down from 6.687 billion dollars to 5.461 billion dollars.
On month on monthly basis, the food group imports grew by 5.12 dollars in February 2024 as food goods valued at 739.819 million dollars were imported as compared to the imports of 703.722 million dollars in the same month of last year.
However, the exports of food goods during the month of February grew by 35.38% as different food commodities worth 702.469 million dollars were exported as compared to the exports of 518.871 million dollars in the same month of the last year.
