Mobile phone imports fall 56pc

ISLAMABAD: Mobile phone imports have decreased by 56 percent during the first three months of current fiscal year (2022-23) compared to the corresponding period last year, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

According to the latest data issued by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the country imported mobile phones worth Rs35.90 billion during July-September 2022-23 compared to Rs81.51 billion during July-September 2021-22, showing negative growth of 56 percent.

Meanwhile, on a year-to-year basis, the import of mobile phones also witnessed a decline of 61.68 percent during the month of September 2022, compared to the same month of last year.

The import of mobile phones during September 2022 was recorded at Rs13.46 billion compared to Rs35.12 billion in August 2021.

On a month-on-month basis, the imports decreased slightly by 3.36 percent during September 2022, as compared to Rs13.93 billion during August 2022, according to the data.

Earlier on October 15, it was reported that Pakistan’s food imports, despite being an agricultural country, went up by 15% in the first three months of the fiscal year 2022-23.

According to details, Pakistan’s food imports went up to $2.79 billion in July-September 2022. In the corresponding period last year, those were at Rs2.11 billion.

Wheat imports in July-September shot up by 311% and cost $407 million. Last year, $99 million in wheat was imported in the same time period.

Cooking oil imports went up by 34% and cost $1.24 billion. Tobacco imports increased by 26%, and Vegetables and fruits imports by 8%.