Food group exports from the country during the first 05 months of the current financial year grew by 19.58 per cent as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of the last year. During the period from July-November, 2024, food commodities worth $3.155 billion were exported as compared to the exports of $2.638 billion of the same period of the last year, according to the data of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The exports of commodities including rice increased by 35.40 per cent as it was recorded at 2.377 million tons valued at $1.515 billion as compared to the exports of 244,664 metric tons worth $286.778 million of the same period of the last year, it added. Meanwhile, the fish and fish preparations exports grew by 0.21 per cent as 75,314 metric tons of fish and fish production worth $ 162.334 million were also exported as compared to the exports of 72,600 metric tons valued at $162.00 million in the same period of the last year, it said. In the first five months of the current financial year, the exports of fruits grew by 3.47 per cent and vegetables by 24.88 per cent respectively as the country earned $132.577 million by exporting about 220.705 metric tons of fruits and $110.221 million by exporting over 338.173 metric tons of vegetable, the data revealed. The other commodities which, recorded positive growth in their respective exports included tobacco by 348.48 per cent, sugar by 833.68 per cent, meat and meat products by 2.80 per cent, it said. Over 20,771 metric tons of tobacco valued at $75.116 million, 353,550 metric tons of sugar worth $196.717 million, 47,503 metric tons of meat and meat preparation valued at $201.586 million were exported during the first five months of the current financial year. On the other hand, the food group imports into the country during the period under review decreased by 11.13 per cent and it was recorded at $2.977 billion as against the imports of $3.350 billion of the corresponding period of the last year.