Food exports surge 38.51 percent in three months

ISLAMABAD: Exports of food group surged by 38.51 percent during the first quarter of the current fiscal year against the same period of last year.

The food exports were recorded at $993.72 million during July-September (2011-12) against the exports of $717.45 million during July-September (2010-11), Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) reported.

Out the total commodities, fruit exports witnessed increase of 43.13 per cent by growing from $45.61 million last year to $65.28 million during July-September (2011-12).

The country exported vegetables 55,507 MT worth $ 23.34 million during the period under review, showing an increase of 77.26 over the vegetable exports of 37,694 MT worth $13.17 million.

The export of wheat increased 100 percent during the period under view, as 263,820 MT of the commodity worth $ 93.73 million was exported as compared to zero exports of last year.

Exports of leguminous vegetables (Pulses) also increased by 100 per cent during the period as 1,221 MT of the commodity worth $1.43 million was exported from the country.

The exports of spices witnessed 47.91 percent increase from $8.443 million to $12.488 million while the export of oil seeds, nuts and kernals witnessed increase of 135.94 percent.

The exports of meat and meat preparations increased from 35.867 million last year to 49.815 million, showing an increase of 38.89 percent where as the exports of other food commodities increased by 212.15 percent, the data revealed.

On the other hand, the export of all rice varieties witnessed decrease of 11.22 percent according to data that added that basmati rice exports fall by 11.55 percent while the exports of other rice commodities decreased by 10.87 percent.

The food export from the country witnessed increase of 50.09 percent and 14.88 per cent during the month of September 2011 as against the exports of September 2010 and August 2011 respectively.

Food exports during September 2011 stood at $323.385 million against the exports of $215.458 million in September 2010 and $281.502 million in August 2011, the data revealed.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011