Food exports decrease 8.24%, imports increase 6.28% in 07 months

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Food group exports from the country during first 07 months of current financial year decreased by 8.24 percent, where as imports swelled 6.29 percent as compared the corresponding period of last year.

Different food commodities worth $2.708 billion exported, where as food commodities valuing $5.983 billion imported from July-January, 2022-23 as compared the exports and imports of same period last year, according the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

The imports of food group into the country during first 07 months of last financial year were recorded at $5.629 billion, where as food commodities worth 2.951 billion were exported in same period of last financial year.

On year on year basis, food group exports decreased by 18.43 percent in January, 2023 as it was registered at $384.056 million as compared the exports of $470.821 million of same month of last year.

On the other hand, food imports into the country during the month of January, 2023 grew by 28.71 percent as it reached to $1.069 billion as against the imports of $146.485 million of same month of last year.

During the period from July-January, 2022-23, the exports of meat, meat preparations increased by 18.84 percent as 50,759 metric tons of meat and meat preparations valuing $228.121 million exported as compared the exports of 43,765 metric tons worth $191.957 million of same period last year.

About 13,318 metric tons of tobacco valuing 37.878 million also exported during the period under review as compared the exports of 11,601 metric tons valuing $32.613 million, which was up by 16.14 percent of the exports of same period of last year.

Meanwhile, the exports of all other food items witnessed about 15.14 percent growth in last seven months and recorded at $567.146 million as compared the exports of $492.576 million of same period last year. The commodities that observed negative growth in their respective exports included rice 15.82 percent, fruits and vegetables 39.78 percent and 0.77 percent, leguminous vegetables decreased by 25.52 percent.

The imports of the food goods that increased during the period under review included wheat 23.47 percent, tea 2.61 percent soyaben 206.30 percent and palm oil imports swelled by 14.84 percent.(APP)