News Analysis |
Food commodities exports have surged during the past five months of the running fiscal year by 12.5 percent in a year on year comparative review. During the period from July-November, 2017-18 food commodities worth of $1.491 billion exported as against the exports of $1.319 billion of corresponding period of last year, said a data report filed by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
During the period under scrutiny 1,350,916 metric tons of rice valued at $644.370 million was exported in comparison with the exports of 1.275,856 metric tons worth $557.338 million of same period last year, showing an increase of 15.62 percent.
On the other hand, food group exports from the country witnessed 12.05 percent growth as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year.
In the past five months of current financial year, the exports of basmati rice increased by 2.80 percent as about 144,039 metric tons of basmati rice was exported to earn $147.310 million against the export of 150,631 metric tons worth of $143.994 million of the corresponding period last year, the report added.
Meanwhile, the country earned $497.060 million in revenue by exporting about 1,206,877 metric tons of rice other than basmati, which was recorded at 1,125,225 metric tons and was valued at $414.042 million of the first five months of the last fiscal year, which was up by 20.05 percent.
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During the last five months exports of fish and fish preparations increased by 6.37 percent and reached at 62,570 metric tons worth of $165.943 million as compared to the exports of 56,164 metric tons $156.006 million tons for the same observation period of the last fiscal year.
However the data reveled that exports of fruits and vegetables remained on a downward plunge as exports of both above-mentioned commodities decreased by 17 percent and 4.33 percent respectively.
During the period from July-November, 2017-18 food commodities worth of $1.491 billion exported as against the exports of $1.319 billion of same period of last year.
From July-November, 2017, the country exported about 155,222 metric tons of fresh fruits valued at $122.918 million, which was recorded at 192,383 metric tons and $148.093 million corresponding to the last fiscal year. In first five months of the last financial year Pakistan had exported 169,303 metric tons of vegetables valuing $46.471 million, which stood at 135,552 metric tons worth of $44.225 million in same period of current year.
Observing the imports in a counter rhetoric; food group imports into the country during first five months of the current financial year increased by 16.08 percent as compared to the corresponding period of last year.
During the period from July-November, 2017-18 food commodities worth $2.718 billion were imported into the country as compared to the imports of $2.341 billion of the corresponding period last year, according to the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
During the period under review, about 38,231 metric tons of milk cream and milk for infant food valued at $107.846 million were imported and the percentage was up by 4.95 percent as compared with the imports of 34,951 metric tons worth of $102.754 million of same period last year.
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The spices imported into the country also grew by 26.74 percent as about 67,115 metric tons of spices valued at $66.667 million were imported as compared to the imports of 51,443 metric tons.
The country consumed 68,965 metric tons of dry fruits and nuts costing $78.920 million in first five months of current financial year, which was recorded at 56,605 metric tons worth of $96.171 million of same period of last year. Meanwhile, $230.917 million were spent on the imports of about 80,597 metric tons of tea as compared to the imports of 84,324 metric tons valuing $208.383 million, showing an increase of 10.81 percent.
The spices imported into the country also grew by 26.74 percent as about 67,115 metric tons of spices valued at $66.667 million were imported as compared to the imports of 51,443 metric tons worth $52.601 million of same period last year. It may be recalled that food group imports into the country on month on month basis also grew by 1.38 percent in November 2017 as compared to the same month of last year.
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Food commodities worth of $520.127 million were imported in the last month as compared with the imports of $513.071 million of same period of last year. On the other hand, food group exports from the country witnessed 12.05 percent growth as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year. During the period from July-November, 2017-18 food commodities worth of $1.491 billion exported as against the exports of $1.319 billion of same period of last year.