Food group exports increase 19.87pc in April

ISLAMABAD: Food group exports from the country during month of April, 2017 increased by 19.87 percent as compared the exports of corresponding month of last year.

During last month food commodities worth US$ 392.362 million were exported as compared the exports of 327.320 million of same month last year.

According the latest data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics here Tuesday, the exports of all major food commodities including basmati rice, vegetables, fish, sugar and oil seed witnessed positive growth during last month.

Meanwhile, rice exports during last month grew by 1.36 percent and about 347,250 metric tons of rice worth US$ 175.794 million exported as against the exports of 413,226 metric tons valuing US$ 173.43 million of same month last year.

During the period under review, 53,260 metric tons of basmati rice worth US$ 50.846 million exported as compared the exports of 45,663 metric tons valuing US$ 42.93 million of same period last year.

In April, exports of fish and fish products grew by 32.61 percent and 17,036 metric tons of fish and fish preparations worth US$ 40.66 million exported as compared the exports of 13,303 metric tons valuing US$ 30.66 million.

During last month, 106,167 metric tons of vegetables valuing US$ 35.56 million were exported as against the 86,122 metric tons worth of US$ 25.85 million of same period last year.

Meanwhile, sugar exports from the country increased by 100 percent in last month as 67,186 metric tons of sugar valuing US$ 36.287 million exported.

However, food group exports from the country during last 10 months (July-April) decreased by 8.57 percent and was recorded at US$ 3.076 billion as compared the exports of US$ 3.365 billion of the same period of last year.