ISLAMABAD: The country earned $ 512.321 million by exporting different food commodities during the first two months of current financial year as compared to the earnings of the corresponding period of last year. During the period from July-August 2017, food group exports from the country increased by 30.6 percent as compared to the exports during the same period in previous year. According the data of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, exports of rice grew by 40 percent as around 428,993 metric tonnes of rice worth $ 223.937 million exported. The rice export during first two months of last financial year was recorded at 3810,861 metric tonnes valuing $ 159.543 million, it added. Meanwhile, the exports of basmati rice grew by 10.35 percent and about 59,433 metric tonnes of basmati rice worth $ 62.741 million exported as compared to the exports of 59,192 metric tonnes valuing $ 56.857 million of same period last year. The exports of rice other then basmati also witnessed an increase of 58.98 percent, as around 369.580 metric tonnes of rice costing $ 161.198 million exported as compared to the exports of 251,669 metric tonnes worth $ 102.888 million last year. From July-August, fruit and vegetable exports also increased by 8.74 percent and reached 56,280 metric tonnes worth $20.583 million as against the exports of 73,751 metric tonnes worth $18.888 million during the same period last year, it added The other commodities which witnessed increase in their exports during the period under review included fish wheat, sugar, oil seeds, nuts, tobacco and spices. Published in Daily Times, September 24th 2017.