ISLAMABAD  -    The vegetable products export from the country grew by 12.19 percent during the first 10 months of the current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of last year, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reported.

The vegetable products exports from the country during July-April (2018-19) were recorded at $2748.773 million against the export of $2450.073 million during July-April (2017-18), showing increase of 12.19 percent, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.

The commodities that contributed positively included edible vegetables, export of which grew from $123.590 million last year to $189.994 million during the current fiscal year, showing growth of 53.72 percent.

The exports of coffee, tea, mate and spices increased by 29 percent, from $84.427 million to $108.921 million whereas the exports of oil seeds and oleaginous fruits increased by 42.10 percent, from $67.709 million to $96.216milion. The exports of cereals grew by 6.19 percent from $1724.556 million to $1831.382 million while the exports of edible fruits and nuts increased by 12.11 percent, from $330.228 million last year to $370.230 million, the data revealed.

The exports product of milling industry witnessed growth of 39.34 percent, from $77.979 million to $108.670 million whereas the exports of other vegetable saps and extracts increased by 0.34 percent, from $34.740 million to $34.861 million.

Meanwhile, The country’s merchandize trade deficit plunged by 13.62 per cent during the first eleven months of the current fiscal year compared to the corresponding period of last year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported.

The trade deficit contracted by 13.62 per cent to $29.207 billion during July-May (2018-19) against the deficit of $33.812 billion recorded during July-May (2017-18).

The exports during the period under review witnessed nominal decrease of 0.3% by falling from $21.330 billion during last year to $21.267 billion during the ongoing fiscal year.

On the other hand, the imports declined by 8.47 per cent to $50.474 billion during the period under review from $55.142 billion last year, the data revealed.

On year-on-year basis, the exports declined by 1.72 per cent, from $2.139 billion in May 2018 to $2.102 billion in May 2019 while the imports declined by 12.8 per cent from $5.782 billion in May 2018 to $5.042 billion in May 2019, the data revealed.