Pakistan’s food exports rise 5% to $2.241b

Pakistan’s food exports increased by 4.89 per cent during the first seven months of the current fiscal year to reach $2.241 billion against the exports of $2.136 billion during the same period last year, official data revealed on Wednesday. The products that contributed in the positive growth of food exports during July-January (2011-12) included leguminous vegetables (pulses), exports of which increased by 100 per cent, it said. The exports of leguminous vegetables reached $2.388 million during the period against zero exports of the commodity during July-January (2010-11), according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) data. Other products that witness positive growth included fish and fish preparations, exports of which grew by 15.27 per cent from $151.833 million last year to $175.011 million during the first seven moths of the current fiscal year, it said. Exports of fruits also increased from $182.214 million last year to $195.296 million in the current year, showing a growth of 7.18 per cent, while the exports of tobacco increased from $10.372 million to $16.229 million, showing a growth of 56.47 per cent, according to the data. Wheat exports increased by 45.71 per cent from $64.820 million to $94.450 million, while the exports of oilseeds, nuts and kernels increased from $8.398 million to $13.445 million, showing an increase of over 60 per cent. The exports of meat and meat preparations during the period under review increased by 17.23 per cent, up from $82.316 million to $96.503 million, while exports of other food items increased by 48.61 per cent, growing from $323.465 million to $480.710 million, the data revealed. The food products that witnessed decline in their exports during the period under review included rice, exports of which decreased by 9.21 per cent. The exports of rice decreased from $1.205 billion last year to $1.094 billion during the current year. The exports of basmati fell by 18.60 per cent, whereas the exports of other rice varieties decreased by 2.91 per cent, it said. According to the data, the exports of basmati decreased from $546.650 million to $454.816 million, whereas the exports of other varieties decreased from $658.775 million to $639.575 million.