Tea import reduces 7.55pc in five months

ISLAMABAD: Tea import into the country reduced by 7.55 percent during first five months of current financial year as compared to imports of corresponding period of last financial year.

According to data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, about 89,123 metric tons of tea imported during the period from July-November, 2016-17 as compared to import of 73,383 metric tons of same period of last year.

During the period under review, country spent U$ 208.597 million on import of tea to fulfill the domestic requirements as compared to US$ 225.625 million of same period of last year.

About 15,510 metric tons of tea worth US$ 36.52 million were imported during the month of November, 2016 as against the import of 16,141 metric tons valuing US$ 49.296 million of same month of last year.

Month on month basis tea import into the country was decreased by 26.87 percent as against the import of same month of last year, it added.

It may be recalled that during last five months of current financial year food group exports from the country decreased by 10.42 percent and recorded at US$ 1.323 billion as compared to 1.477 billion of same period of last year.

Meanwhile, during the period from July-November, 2016 food group import grew by 5.4 percent and recorded at US$ 2.340 billion as against the imports of US$ 2.219 billion of corresponding period of last year.