Food exports grew by 54.05% in 08 months, reached $4.969 bln

 Lahore: Food group exports from the country during the first 08 months of the current financial year grew by 54.05 per cent as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year.

During the period from July-February, 2023-24, different food commodities worth $4.969 billion were exported as compared to the exports of 3.225 billion in the same period of the previous year, according to the data of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

The exports of rice grew by 85.83 per cent as over 3.932 million metric tons of rice valued at $2.517 billion were exported as compared to the exports of 2.546 million tons worth $1.354 billion in the same period of last year, it added.

During the period under review, the exports of fruits and vegetables grew by 13.89 per cent and 39.27 per cent respectively as 688,950 metric tons of fruits valued at $246.463 million and 724,252 metric tons of vegetables worth $277.064 million were exported.

The other commodities that witnessed positive growth in their respective exports included pulses 268.68 per cent as pulses valued at $173,000, tobacco 32.09 per cent worth of $60.581 million and the exports of spices grew by 21.10 per cent and recorded at $78.107 million.

Meanwhile, the imports of food commodities into the country during the first 08 months of the current financial year decreased by 18.33 per cent as against the imports of the corresponding period of last year.

The imports of food commodities during the period under review came down from $6.687 billion to $5.461 billion. On month on month basis, the food group imports grew by 5.12 per cent in February 2024 growth as food goods valued at $739.819 million were imported as compared to the imports of 703.722 million of the same month of last year.

However, the exports of food goods during the month of February 2024 grew by 35.38 per cent as different food commodities worth $702.469 million were exported as compared to the exports of $518.871 million in the same month of the last year.