July-December trade deficit stood at $11.476 billion: National Assembly told...

The country's trade deficit in July-December stood at $11.476 billion. "In July-December 2011-12, Pakistan's exports stood at $11.237 billion, while imports $22.713 billion. In July-June 2010-11, trade deficit stood at $15.587 billion as exports were $24.827 billion, while imports $40.414 billion," Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim told the National Assembly in a written reply on Friday.
The minister said there are many countries including United Arab Emirates (UAE), China, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Japan, India, Indonesia, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Denmark, Faeroe Islands, Qatar, Oman, France, Russian Federation, Zambia, Uzbekistan, New Zealand, Burundi, Bahrain, Uganda, Dubai, and lots of other countries with whom Pakistan is facing trade deficit at present.
Answering a question, Amin Fahim said that total quantity of 2.09 million MT of wheat was exported during the year 2010-11 till date and $679.9 million foreign exchange was earned. He said in 2010-11 (July-June) 1.78 million MT wheat was exported and $585.6 million of foreign exchange was earned, while in 2011-12 (July-December), 0.31 million MT wheat was exported $94.3 million foreign exchange was earned.
He said during the said period wheat was exported to Bangladesh, Yemen, Kenya, Sri Lanka, UAE, Qatar, Malaysia, Philippines, Afghanistan, Sudan, Australia, Djibouti, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Jordan, Madagascar, Myanmar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania and Vietnam. Answering another question, the minister said Pakistan earned $64.9 million foreign exchange by exporting 22 million-kg tobacco excluding cigarette during the last three years.
In 2011-12 (July-December), Pakistan exported 3 million-kg tobacco and earned $11.5 million, in 2010-11, 9 million-kg tobacco was exported valuing $26.9 million. Pakistan exports tobacco to Australia, Afghanistan, Austria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Indonesia and many others countries. Similarly, about the rice, he said that Pakistan is a major exporter of rice to Iran. He said in 2011-12 (July-September) the export of rice to Iran stood at $17.031 million, out of $36.069 million total export to Iran. Similarly, in 2010-11, total exports of rice to Iran amounted to $97.091 million out of total exports of $161.941 million.