ISLAMABAD, Jun 17 (ABC): Food exports from the country witnessed an increase of 24.23 percent during the eleven months of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period of last year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported.
The exports of various food commodities were recorded at $4,919.434 million during July-May (2021-22) as compared to the exports of $3,959.964 million in July-May (2020-21), according to PBS data.
The food commodities that contribute in positive growth in trade included rice, the exports of which grew by 22.62 percent, from $1,856.210 million to $2,276.027 million.
Among the rice commodities, the exports of Basmati rice went up from $506.998 million to $632.500 million, an increase of 24.75 percent whereas the exports of other rice commodities climbed up from $1,349.212 million to $1,643.527 million, showing growth of 21.81 percent.
The other food commodities that contributed in positive growth included fruits, the exports of which increased by 6.23 percent, from $404.419 million to $429.628 million whereas the exports of fish and fish preparation rose by 1.77 percent, from $383.264 million to $390.046 million.
The exports of leguminous vegetables (pulses) increased by 100 percent, from zero exports to $0.068 million; tobacco by 55.23 percent, from $30.594 million to $47.490 million; spices by 17.25 percent, from $83.041 million to $97.363 million; oil seeds, nuts and kernals by 115.60 percent, from $88.501 million to $190.811 million; meat and meat preparations by 2.12 percent, from $305.737 million to $312.225 million whereas the exports of all other food items increased by 72.47 percent, from $512.541 million to $884.005 million.
The food commodities that contribute in negative growth in trade included vegetables, the exports of which decreased by 1.31 percent, from $295.657 million to $291.771 million.
Meanwhile, on year-on-year basis, the exports of food commodities increased by 90.30 percent during the month of May 2022 as compared to the same month of last year.
The food exports during May 2022 were recorded at $461.745 million against the exports of $242.636 million.
On month-on-month basis, the exports of food commodities however decreased by 9.45 million in May 2022 when compared to the exports of $509.932 million in April 2022, PBS reported.