Food group exports from the country witnessed an increase of 18.17 percent during the first seven months of the current fiscal year (2024-25) as compared to the corresponding period of last year, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported. The exports of various food commodities were recorded at $4.613 billion during July-January (2024-25) as compared to the exports of $4.265 billion in July-January (2023-24), according to PBS data. The food commodities that contributed to positive growth in trade included rice, the exports of which grew by 3.73 percent, from $2.115 billion to $2.194 billion. The other food commodities that contributed to positive growth included fish and fish preparations, the exports of which increased by 1.25 percent, from $229.410 million to $232.273 million whereas the exports of tobacco rose by 81.42 percent, from $56.525 million to $102.549 million. The exports of sugar increased by 1831.30 percent, from $21.069 million to $406.909 million whereas the export of meat and meat preparations also surged by 2.60 percent, from $287.027 million to $294.497 million. The food commodities that contributed to negative growth in trade included fruits, the exports of which decreased by 0.24 percent, from $211.037 million to $210.526 million. The exports of vegetables dipped by 18.14 percent, from $201.491 million to $164.935 million; spices by 15.92 percent from $67.195 million to $56.498 million, oil seeds, nuts, and kernals by 14.63 percent, from $375.747 million to $320.775 million whereas the exports of all other food items decreased by 9.97 percent, from $700.015 million to $630.232 million. Meanwhile, on year-on-year basis, the exports of food commodities witnessed a decrease of 16.86 percent during the month of January 2025 as compared to the same month of last year. The food group exports during January 2025 were recorded at $653.623 million against the exports of $786.189 million.