ISLAMABAD: Food group exports from the country during the first eight months of the current financial year grew by 21.74 per cent as compared to the corresponding period last year.
During the period from July-February, 2017-18 food commodities worth $2.842 billion were exported as compared to the exports of $2.334 billion of same period last year, according to data by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
The rice exports increased by 22.14 per cent as 2,669,935 metric tons of rice valuing $ 1.261 billion were exported as compared the exports of 2,395,029 metric tons worth of $1.033 billion of the ame period last year, it added.
Meanwhile, the exports of basmati rice grew by 10.61 per cent and about 258,586 metric tons of basmati rice worth of $272.422 million were exported in the last eight months of the current financial year as against the exports of 256,848 metric tons valuing $246.296 million of the same period last year.
About 108,262 metric tons of fish and fish preparation worth $264.188 million were exported as compared the exports of 89,032 metric tons valuing $239.788 million of the same period last year, the data revealed.
Other commodities which had witnessed a positive growth in their respective exports included vegetables by 39.78 per cent, tobacco by 123.62 per cent, and oil-seed and nuts by 8.60 per cent respectively.
The country earned $137.650 million by exporting about 418,775 metric tons of vegetables in first eight months of the current financial year as compared the exports of $98.475 million and 363,506 metric tons of same period last year.
On the other hand, food commodities worth $437.087 million were exported in the month of February 2018 as compared the exports of $318.448 million of the same month of last year, showing an increase of 37.48 per cent.
Meanwhile, imports of the food commodities into the country during last eight months grew by 6.32 per cent as food commodities worth $4.216 billion were imported into the country as compared the imports of $3.965 million of the same period last year, the data added.
