Food group exports from the country during the first month of the current financial year grew by 44.77 per cent as compared to the exports of the corresponding month of the last year.
During the month of July 2024, food commodities valued at $475.767 million were exported as compared to the exports of 328.632 million in the same month of the last financial year, according to the data of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
During the period under review, the rice exports from the country witnessed about 75.70 per cent growth as 274,004 metric tons of rice valued at $205.746 million were exported as compared to the exports of 172,302 metric tons of rice worth $117.102 million in the same period of the last year.
Meanwhile, the exports of fish and fish preparations grew by 0.55 per cent, whereas meat and meat products exports recorded about 5.73 per cent growth respectively.
About 9,713 metric tons of fish and fish preparations worth $18.928 million and meat and 8,404 metric tons of meat products costing $36.849 million were exported in the first month of the current financial year.
On the other hand, the exports of other commodities including fruits grew by 13.12 per cent as 52,479 metric tons of fruits were exported, besides exporting about 85,204 metric tons of vegetables valued at $28.884 million, which was 100 per cent up as compared to the exports of the first months of last financial year.
However, the food group imports into the country during the first month of the current financial year went down by 18.30 per cent and were recorded at $510.449 million as against the imports of $624.804 million of the corresponding period of the last year.
The imports of commodities including milk, milk cream and milk for infants decreased by 27.37 per cent, tea by 26.68 per cent, soyabean oil by 93.20 per cent and palm oil imports went down by 13.99 per cent.