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.

 

LOS ANGELES -- Major League Baseball marked the 77th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the sport's color barrier on Monday.

Robinson started at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947, marking the end of the racial segregation that had relegated Black players to the Negro Leagues for decades.

"Jackie Robinson became the most vilified, targeted subject of verbal abuse and malicious treatment in the sports arena since Jack Johnson had the audacity to become heavyweight champion of the world in 1908," sociologist and civil rights activist Harry Edwards said at Dodger Stadium. "Like Jack Johnson, Jackie Robinson stood alone."

Members of Robinson's family, including his 101-year-old widow, were at ballparks from coast to coast to honor him.

At New York's Citi Field, Rachel Robinson rode in a golf cart to the Mets dugout, where she was given flowers by manager Carlos Mendoza and retired players Mookie Wilson and Butch Huskey -- the last Met to wear Robinson's No. 42.

"She's the legacy of perseverance," said David Robinson, the youngest son of Jackie and Rachel Robinson.

Every team playing Monday wore No. 42 jerseys.

Robinson's life story is particularly poignant to the Dodgers' Dave Roberts, the first manager of Asian heritage and second Black manager to lead a team to a World Series title.

"He had a big burden in his life to be a professional baseball player but to take on all this negativity, this hate towards him, his wife, his kids, and still persevere," Roberts said.

Players and staff from the Dodgers, including Shohei Ohtani, and the Washington Nationals surrounded Robinson's statue in Centerfield Plaza hours before game time in Los Angeles.

"I can't say enough of what Jackie Robinson's meant to not only the Black community but the Hispanic community, as well," Nationals manager Dave Martinez told the group. "He opened the doors for many, many great players, he really did, and he changed the lives of many, including myself. I don't know if I would be here if it wasn't for Jackie. My idol Roberto Clemente definitely, probably, wouldn't have been around."

"He exemplifies what it means to have strength, courage and passion," Martinez said of Robinson.

Reggie Smith, who never played on a losing team in his 13-year MLB career, recalled nervously speaking to Robinson when they were on the same flight from Los Angeles to the East Coast. Smith introduced himself and said Robinson told him, "I know who you are, and I know what you stand for."

"That meant so much to me," Smith told the players. "Whenever there was injustice on that ballfield of any kind, I would speak up because he gave me the courage to be able to do that."

The Dodgers and Nationals also were joined by Ayo Robinson, a granddaughter of Jackie and Rachel Robinson who was born after Jackie's death in 1972. Her father is David Robinson.

"I soak up my grandfather through the experience of others," she said after the ceremony. "The fact that he is still so impactful in our society today means a lot to me as a person, but it means a lot to me as an American, as well."

Smith urged today's MLB players to remember Jackie Robinson and his travails, which included being barred from hotels and restaurants because of his skin color as well as on-field verbal abuse from fans and opposing teams.

"Keep it in mind so that this game can continue to move forward the way that it has over the last years," Smith said, "and be thankful that you're here and you're able to do the things that you do day in and day out."

In related news, former National League Cy Young Award winner Orel Hershiser, the 1988 World Series MVP for the Dodgers, has purchased a painting titled "Grace" that depicts Robinson praying around a dinner table with Martin Luther King Jr. and former Dodgers greats Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe.

Hershiser plans to keep the painting at its current home, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri.

"I'm honored to be its owner," he said in a statement. "It marks a very important historical time, and it is important to keep this piece where people can learn about this moment."

Artist Dave Hobrecht donated his painting for display at the museum in 2020, but the wooden canvas was damaged during shipment, resulting in a crack that completely detached the bottom portion of the image from the rest.

Hobrecht and museum president Bob Kendrick decided to reframe the piece and keep it the way it arrived.

"Not having a breakable spirit, that's Jackie Robinson," Kendrick said in the statement. "We decided to unveil it with the damage and that it would be a metaphor that beautifully captures what Jackie was all about."

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers will not be disciplined by the NFL after being involved in a domestic violence investigation earlier this year, the league said in a statement Thursday.

"Following a review, the NFL concluded there was insufficient evidence to support a finding that Zay Flowers engaged in any activity that violated the NFL's personal conduct policy," the NFL said. "There will be no action taken by the league and Flowers remains eligible to participate in all team activities."

This decision comes two months after Baltimore County Police suspended a domestic violence investigation involving Flowers, who was never charged. The alleged incident occurred Jan. 16 in Owings Mills, Maryland. According to a police report, a woman said she was involved in a "violent" domestic incident with an NFL player. She told police the player's brother pulled a gun on her.

Flowers, 23, set Ravens rookie records last season with 77 receptions and 858 receiving yards. He was the No. 22 pick in the NFL draft a year ago.