Islamabad: Sea food exports from Pakistan during 12 months of previous financial year (2016-17) increased by 21.35 percent as compared to exports in the same period of financial year 2015-16.
During the financial year 2016-17, country earned US$ 394.217 million by exporting about 152,858 metric tons of fish and fish preparations as compared the exports of 127,910 metric tons worth US$ 314.896 million of same period of last year.
According the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, in previous financial year exports of leguminous vegetables (pulses) grew by 100 percent and 606 metric tons of different pulses worth US$ 528,000 exported. Meanwhile, exports of tobacco increased by 34.93 percent and was recorded at 3,976 metric tons valuing US$ 14.194 million as against the exports of 3,194 metric tons worth of US$ 10.974 million of same period last year, it added.
During 12 months of last financial year, exports of wheat from the country grew by 512.3 percent as about 3,676 metric tons of commodity valuing US$ 0.976 million exported as against the exports of 450 metric tons worth US$ 0.158 million of the corresponding period of last year. In previous financial year, spices worth US$ 84.22 million exported as compared the exports of US$ 76.67 million of fiscal year 2015-16, the data added.
In last year about 22,927 metric tons of spices exported as compared the exports of 19,746 metric tons, which was up by 9.58 percent as against the exports of same period last year. During last financial year, sugar exports from the country increased by 21.90 percent and reached at 307,862 metric tons valuing US$ 161.541 million as compared the exports of 293,541 metric tons valuing US$ 132.284 million of same period last year.
However, the commodities including rice, basmati rice, fruits and vegetables registered negative growth in their respective exports during the period under review. In last financial year, rice exports reduced by 13.63 percent, basmati rice by 3.8 percent, fruits by 10.61 percent and vegetables by 12.48 percent respectively. It is worth mentioning here that during financial year 2016- 17, food group exports from the country reduced by 6.94 percent and was recorded at US$ 3.712 billion as compared the exports of US$ 3.989 billion of same period last year.
Meanwhile, food group imports into the country grew by 13.92 percent and was stood at US$ 6.138 billion against the imports of US$ 5.388 billion of same period last year.
