Daily Times

Food group imports into the country during the first half of the current financial year decreased by 19.48 per cent as compared to the imports of the corresponding period of last year.

During the period from July to December 2023, different food commodities costing $3.957 billion were imported as compared to the imports of $4.914 billion in the same period of last year, according to the data of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

During the period under review, the imports of the commodities that went down included milk cream, milk for infants at 25.93 per cent was recorded at $60.298 million as compared the imports of $81.404 million, wheat unmilled by 34.84 per cent and reached $39.126 million as compared the imports of $609.434 million of the same period of last year.

Meanwhile, the imports of soybeans were reduced by 41.20 per cent which came down from $155.20 million to $91.147 million in the last three quarters of the current financial year as compared to the imports of the same period of last year. The palm oil imports also reduced during the period under review as it went down from $2.082 billion in the first six months of the last financial year to $1.388 billion in the same period of the current financial year.

Besides, the imports of sugar into the country decreased by 49.43 per cent and it was recorded at $1..693 million as against the imports of $3.347 million in the same period of last year.

On the other hand, Food group exports from the country during the first half of the current financial year grew by 49.84 per cent as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year.

During the period from July-December, 2023 food commodities valued at $3.481 billion were exported as against the exports of $2.323 billion of the same period of the last year.