Basmati rice exports increase by 154.28 percent in March

ISLAMABAD: The exports of basmati rice from the country during the month of March, 2017 increased by 154.28 percent as compared the exports of the corresponding month of last year.

During month of March, about 45,745 metric tons of basmati rice worth US$ 43.976 million were exported as compared the exports of 17,412 metric tons valuing of US$ 17.294 million of same month last year.

According the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) during the month of March sugar exports from the country grew by 1.60 percent and about 107,558 metric tons of sugar worth US$ 57.742 million were exported as compared the exports of 127,009 metric tons valuing of US$ 56.883 million of same month last year.

During last month, exports of oil seed nuts and kernals increased by 281.92 percent as 4,588 metric tons of oil seeds and nuts worth US$ 5.576 million exported against the exports of 1,099 metric tons valuing US$ 1.460 million of same month last year.

In month of March tobacco export increased by 422.73 percent as about 723 metric tons of tobacco exported and earned US$ 2.415 million as against the exports of 114 metric tons valuing US$ 0.462 million of same period last year.

Meanwhile, country also earned US$ 36.471 million by exporting about 15,280 metric tons of fish and fish products against the exports of 11,706 metric tons of fish and fish preparations worth US$ 27.817 million of same month of last year.

It may be recalled that food group exports from the country during the month of March decreased by 10.20 percent and it was stood at US$ 346.12 million as against the exports of US$385.313 million of same month last year.

In last 3 quarters (July-March) of current financial year food group exports decreased by 11.58 percent and recorded at US$ 2.885 billion as against the exports of US$ 3.037 billion of corresponding period of last year.