Food exports surge by 5.70pc, says PBS

ISLAMABAD: Food group exports from the country witnessed an increase of 5.70 percent during the first quarter (Q1) of the current fiscal year (2022-23) as compared to the corresponding period of last year, ARY News reported, quoting Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

According to the statistics issued by PBS, the exports of various food commodities were recorded at $1,077.834 million during July-September (2022-23) as compared to the exports of $1,019.676 million in July-September (2021-22).

The food commodities that contribute in positive growth in trade included vegetables, the exports of which grew by 44.34 percent, from $50.082 million to $72.289 million.

The other food commodities that contributed in positive growth included fish and fish preparations, the exports of which increased by 40.20 percent, from $56.959 million to $79.855 million whereas the exports of tobacco rose by 74.66 percent, from $7.900 million to $13.798 million.

The exports of leguminous vegetables (pulses) increased by 100 percent, from zero exports to $0.047 million; meat and meat preparations by 21.68 percent, from $78.283 million to $95.254 million whereas the exports of all other food items increased by 26.75 percent, from $221.017 million to $280.136 million.

The food commodities that contribute in negative growth in trade included rice, the exports of which decreased by 5.10 percent, from $423.192 million to $401.629 million.

Among the rice commodities, the exports of Basmati rice went down from $153.671 million to $129.896 million, a decrease of 15.47 percent whereas fruits exports decreased by 30.76 percent from $114.373 million to $79.196 million.

The exports of spices dipped by 18.74 percent, from $23.163 million to $18.823 million; oil seeds, nuts and kernals by 17.67 percent, from $44.707 million to $36.806 million.

Meanwhile, on year-on-year basis, the exports of food commodities witnessed nominal decrease of 1.26 percent during the month of September 2022 as compared to the same month of last year.

The food exports during September 2022 were recorded at $354.816 million against the exports of $359.331 million.

On month-on-month basis, the exports of food commodities also decreased by 3.31 percent in September 2022 when compared to the exports of $366.945 million in August 2022, PBS reported.