The exports from the country in the rupee term witnessed an increase of 35.33 percent during the first half of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period of last year, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported. Exports during July-December (2023-24) were recorded at Rs.4,300,752 million as against Rs.3,177,893 million during the corresponding period of last year, showing an increase of 35.33 percent, according to the provisional data released by PBS. On a year-on-year basis, the exports during December 2023 increased by 54.59 percent and were recorded at Rs.799,588 million compared to the exports of Rs.517,240 million in October 2022. On a month-on-month basis, the exports increased by 8.86 percent when compared to the exports of Rs. 734,541 million in November 2023. The main commodities of exports during December, 2023 were rice other than Basmati (Rs.124,040 million), knitwear (Rs. 103,898 million), readymade garments (Rs. 84,569 million), bed wear (Rs. 64,119 million), cotton cloth (Rs. 40,678 million), cotton yarn (Rs.26,984 million), towels (Rs.24,814 million), rice Basmati (Rs.22,888 million), badeup articles, excluding towels & bedwear (Rs.16,991 million) and meat and meat preparations (Rs.12,472 million). On the other hand, Imports during July–December, (2023-24) totaled Rs.7,533,700 million as against Rs. 6,962,865 million during the corresponding period of last year, showing an increase of 8.20%. On a year-on-year basis, imports into Pakistan during December 2023 amounted to Rs. 1,317,463 million as against Rs.1,156,237 million in December 2022, showing an increase of 13.94 percent. On a month-on-month basis, imports into the country witnessed an increase of 1.66 percent in December 2023 when compared to the imports of Rs.1,295,968 million in November 2023. The main commodities of imports during December, 2023 were petroleum crude (Rs. 158,260 million), petroleum products (Rs.150,888 million), natural gas, liquified (Rs.109,516 million), electric machinery & apparatus (Rs.63,667 million), palm oil (Rs. 60,316 million), plastic materials (Rs. 52,218 million), mobile phones (Rs.49,887 million), Iron & steel (Rs.41,654 million), Iron and steel scrap (Rs.30,426 million) and Motor cars, ckd/skd (Rs.29,543 million).