ISLAMABAD: the cuThe exports of fish and fish preparations increased by 2.6 percent during the first eleven months of current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period of last year. The seafood exports during July-May (2020-21) were recorded at $383.088 million against the exports of $373.382 million in July-May (2019-20), showing growth of around 2.6 percent, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). In terms of quantity, Pakistan exported 171,206 metric tons of seafood during the period under review against the exports of 161.080 metric tons last year, showing an increase of 6.29 percent. On a year-on-year basis, the fish exports from the country increased by 9.53 percent by going up from $28.386 million during May 2020 to $31.091 million in May 2021. On a month-on-month basis, the seafood exports, however, decreased by 35.52 percent in May 2020 when compared to the exports of $48.215 million in April 2020, the PBS data revealed. The overall food exports from the country decreased by 2.36 percent during the first eleven months of the current year compared to last year. The food exports from the country were recorded at $3959.991 million during July-May (2020-21) against the exports of $4055.525 million during July-May (2019-20). It is pertinent to mention here that the overall merchandise exports from the country increased by 14.05 percent during the first eleven months of the current fiscal year (2020-21) as compared to the corresponding period of last year. The exports of the country during July-May (2020-21) were recorded at $22.576 billion against the exports of $19.795 billion during July-May (2019-20), according to the latest PBS data. The imports during the period under review also increased by 22.50 percent by growing from $40.849 billion last year to $50.039 billion during the first eleven months of the current fiscal year. Based on the figures, the country’s trade deficit increased by 30.44 percent during the period under review as compared to the corresponding period of last year. The trade deficit during the period was recorded at $27.463 billion against the deficit of $21.054 billion last year.