ISLAMABAD: Exports of food groups from the country increased by 54.05 percent during the first 8 months of the current financial year as compared to exports during the corresponding period last year.
Between July and February 2023-24, various food commodities worth $4.969 billion were exported, compared to exports of $3.225 billion in the same period last year, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics data.
Rice exports rose by 85.83 percent as more than 3.932 million metric tons of rice worth $2.517 billion were exported compared to exports of 2.546 million tons worth $1.354 billion in the same period last year.
During the period under review, exports of fruits and vegetables increased by 13.89 percent and 39.27 percent, with 688,950 metric tons of fruits valued at $246.463 million and 724,252 metric tons of vegetables valued at $277.064 million exported.
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Other commodities that saw positive growth in their exports included pulses by 268.68 percent to $173,000, tobacco by 32.09 percent to $60.581 million, and spice exports up by 21.10 percent to $78.107 million.
Meanwhile, the import of food commodities into the country in the first 8 months of the current financial year decreased by 18.33 percent compared to the same period last year. Imports of food commodities fell from USD 6.687 billion to USD 5.461 billion during the period under review.
On a month-on-month basis, imports of the food group increased by 5.12 percent in February 2024 as food goods worth $739.819 million were imported compared to imports of $703.722 million in the same month last year.
However, exports of food commodities increased by 35.38 percent during February 2024 as various food commodities worth $702.469 million were exported compared to exports of $518.871 million in the same month last year.
