Daily Times

Food exports surged to $3,961.469 million with an increase of 18.92 percent during the first three quarters of the current fiscal year 2021-22 as compared to the same period of last financial year 2020-21.

According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) data, the exports of various food commodities were recorded at 3,331.257 million in July-March 2020-21.

The food commodities that contributed to positive growth in trade included rice, the exports of which grew by 14.96 percent, from $1,560.429 million to $1,793.909 million. Among the rice commodities, the exports of Basmati rice went up from $408.117 million to $496.389 million, an increase of 21.63 percent whereas the exports of other rice commodities climbed up from $1,152.312 million to $1,297.519 million, showing growth of 12.60 percent.

The other food commodities that contributed in positive growth included fish and fish preparations, the exports of which increased by 2.04 percent, from $303.782 million to $309.979 million whereas the exports of fruits increased by 4.22 percent, from $378.575 million to $294.538 million.

The exports of vegetables increased by 1.09 percent, from $245.739 million to $248.413 million; leguminous vegetables (pulses) by 100 percent, from zero exports to $0.068 million; tobacco by 59.35 percent, from $24.736 million to $39.418 million; spices by 18.05 percent, from $70.524 million to $83.251 million; oil seeds, nuts and kernels by 131.41 percent, from $76.348 million to $176.678 million; meat and meat preparations by 1.18 percent, from $247.010 million to $249.934 million whereas the exports of all other food items increased by 56.86 percent, from $424.114 million to $665.282 million.

Meanwhile, on a year-on-year basis, the exports of food commodities increased by 10.22 percent during the month of March 2022 as compared to the same month of last year. The food exports during March 2022 were recorded at $526.466 million against the exports of $477.668 million.

On a month-on-month basis, the exports of food commodities increased by 8.96 million in March 2022 when compared to the exports of $483.162 million in February 2022, PBS reported.

It is pertinent to mention here that the overall exports from the country witessed an increase of 24.67 percent during the first nine months of the current fiscal year (2021-22) as compared to the corresponding months of last year.

The exports from the country were recorded at $23.298 billion during July-March (2021-22) against the exports of $18.687 billion recorded during July-March (2020-21), showing growth of 24.67 percent. The imports during the months under review also went up by 48.63 percent by growing from $39.489 billion last year to $58.691 billion in July-March (2021-22).

On a year-on-year basis, the exports of the country increased by 15.91 percent during March 2022 as compared to the exports of the same month of last year.

The exports during March 2022 were recorded at $2.740 billion against the exports of $2.364 billion in March 2021, the data revealed. The imports into the country increased from $5.631 billion in March 2021 to $6.186 billion in March 2022, showing growth of 9.86 percent, according to PBS data.