ISLAMABAD - Food group exports from the country during the first-half of current fiscal year increased by 22.28% as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year.
During the period from July-December, 2021, different food commodities including rice, vegetables, fruits, oil seeds, meat, fish, spices and others valuing $2.482 billion were exported against the exports of $2.030 billion of the same period last year.
According to the trade data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, during the period under review exports of rice grew by 10.73%, fish and fish preparation 3.19%, fruits and vegetables 11.135% and 14.30% respectively.
Meanwhile, the other food commodities that registered positive growth in their respective exports included tobacco 37.40%, spices 26.67%, oil seeds, nuts 325.30%, meat and meat products 1.o5%.
Besides the exports of above mentioned commodities, the country also earned $434.510 million by exporting other food items as compared to the exports of $272.550 million of same period last year, it added. On month on month basis, the exports of food group recorded about 8.57% increase in December, 2021 as against the same month of last year, whereas food commodities valuing 535.252 million were exported as against $493.004 million of the same month of last year.
On the other hand, food group imports into the country also grew by 22.88% in first two-quarters of current financial year as compared with the imports of same period last year. During the last six months food commodities worth $4.798 million were imported as compared to the imports of $3.905 billion of corresponding months of last year.
However, imports of food group on month on month basis decreased by 11.58% in December, 2021 as food items valuing $781.380 million were imported as against the imports of $885.963 million of the same month of last year.
Meanwhile, rice valuing $1.066 billion was exported in first half of financial year 2021-22 as against the exports of $963.379 million of the corresponding period of last year. During the period from July-December, 2021, over 2.081 million tons of rice was exported as against the exports of 1.849 million tons of same period last year, according the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
In first two-quarters of current financial year, rice exports from the country witnessed about 10.73% growth as against the exports of the same period of last year, it added.
The exports of basmati rice grew by 33.14% as 343,633 metric tons of basmati rice valuing $304.043 million was exported as against the exports of 233,152 metric tons worth $228.370 million of same period last year, it added.
Meanwhile, country fetched $762.772 million by exporting over 1.738 million tons of rice other then basmati rice as compared to exports of 1.616 million tons worth $735.009 million of same period last year. During last 06 months, the country earned $201.581 million by exporting about 75.268 metric tons of fish and fish products, which stood at $195.364 million in same period of last year, it added. On month on month basis, the exports of rice grew by 3.26% in December, 2021 as against the exports of 484.956 million tons worth of $232.676 million of corresponding month of last year, it added.