ISLAMABAD   -  The food exports from Pakistan increased by 21.73 percent during the first four months of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period of last year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported.

Food exports during July-October (2024-25) were recorded at $2,365.114 million as compared to the exports of $1,942.915 million in July-October (2023-24), according to latest PBS data.

The food products that contributed in the positive growth of food trade included rice, the exports of which increased by 52.53 percent, from $710.789 million last year to $1,084.193 million during the ongoing fiscal year.

Likewise, the exports of fruits increased by 7.02 percent, from $108.995 million to $116.649 million, vegetables by 36.74 percent, from $66.640 million to $91.121 million and tobacco by 365 percent, from 14.061 million to $65.474 million. The exports of sugar also went up by 413 percent, from $21.070 million to $108.248 million whereas the exports of meat and meat preparations increased by 4.67 percent, from $152.997 million to $160.135 million.

The food products that witnessed negative growth in the trade included fish and fish preparations, the exports of which declined by 6.33 percent, from $123.965 million to $116.115 million, leguminous vegetable vegetables (pulses) by 100 percent, from $0.084 million to zero exports; spices by 11.80 percent from 35.157 million to 31.007 million.

Likewise, the exports of oil, seeds, nuts and kernals declined by 31.79 percent, from $307.024 million to $209.423 million whereas exports of all other food commodities decreased by 4.82 percent, from $402.133 million to $382.749 million. Meanwhile, on year on year basis, the food exports during the month of October 2024 increased by 12.77 percent to $748.435 million compared to exports of $663.664 million in October 2023. On month-on-month basis, the food exports increased by 23.76 percent in October 2024 when compared to the exports of $604.752 million in September2024. It is pertinent to mention here that the merchandise exports from the country increased by 13.45 percent during the first four months of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding months of last year. Exports during July-October (2024-25) were recorded at $10.880 billion against $9.590 billion during July-October (2023-24), according to PBS data.

On the other hand, imports into the country also went up by 5.17 percent, growing from $16.977 billion last year to $17.854 billion during the first four months of the current year.

Based on the figures, the trade deficit during the months under review was recorded at $6.974 billion against the deficit of $7.387 billion last year, showing a decrease of 5.59 percent.