Food exports grew by 48.17% in 09 months, reached $5.651 bln

Islamabad: Food group exports from the country during the first nine months of the current financial year (2023-24) increased by 48.17 per cent as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year.

During the period from July-March, 2023-24, food commodities valued at $5.651 billion were exported as against the exports of $3.814 billion in the same period of the last year, according to the data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

During the period under review, rice exports increased by 83.37 per cent and over 4.550 million tons of rice worth $2.930 billion were exported as compared to the exports of 2.939 million tons valued at $1.598 billion in the same period of last year, it added.

Meanwhile, the exports of fruits grew by 17.34 per cent and vegetables by 42.79 per cent as 782,155 metric tons of fruits and 906,836metric tons of vegetables valued at $265.655 million and $94.896 were exported during the period under review, the data revealed.

Similarly, the exports of tobacco increased by 19.99 per cent and spices by 19.90 per cent respectively as 16,968 metric tons of tobacco worth $61.576 million and 29,011 metric tons of spices valued at $87.297 million were exported during nine months of the current financial year.

The exports of oil seed and nuts grew by 131.60 per cent, whereas exports of sugar decreased by 74.63 per cent as compared to the exports of the same period of last year, it added.

The country earned $386.928 million by exporting about 93,508 metric tons of meat and meat products as the exports of meat and meat preparations grew by 28.24 per cent during the period under review. Meanwhile, on a year–on–year basis, the food group exports increased by 16.35 percent going up from $ 588.759 million in March 2023 to $ 685.025 million in March 2024.

 On a month-on-month basis, the textile exports, however, decreased by 2.36 percent when compared to the exports of $ 701.565 million in February 2024.