ISLAMABAD: Rice exports from the country during the months of March, 2021 increased by 13.21 percent as compared the exports of the corresponding month of last year.

During the period under review about 385,978 metric tons of rice valuing $222.509 million exported as compared the exports of 375,482 metric tons worth $196.537 million of same month of last year, according the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

Meanwhile, country fetched $84.035 million by exporting 87,413 metric tons of Basmati Rice during the month of March, 2021, which was recorded at 78,757 metric tons valuing $70.042 million of same month last year.

During the period under review, over 298,565 metric tons of other rice worth $138.474 million exported as against 296,725 metric tons valuing $126.495 million of same month of last year.

The exports of rice other then Basmati witnessed 9.47 percent growth in March, 2021 as compared to the exports of same month of last year.

However, export of above mentioned commodity during 09 months of current financial year went down slightly by 2.11 percent as compared the exports of the corresponding period of last year.

During the period from July-March, 2020-21 about 2,885,388 metric tons of rice valuing $1.560 billion exported from the country as compared the exports of 3,141,961 metric tons worth of $1.595 billion of same period last year.

The data reveled that food group exports from the country during last 09 months of current financial decreased by 1.84 percent as compared the exports of the corresponding period of last year.

During the period from July-March, 2020-21 various food commodities valuing $3.332 billion exported as against the exports of $3.394 billion of same period of last year.

It may be recalled here that food group imports into the country during month of March, 2021 increased by 90.85 percent as food commodities costing $776.550 million were imported as compared the imports of $406.893 million of same month last year.

During the period from July-March, 2020-21, food commodities worth $6.121 billion imported as compared the imports of $3.963 billion of corresponding period of last year.

The imports of food group into the country during last 09 months witnessed about 54.45 percent growth as compared the imports of the same period of last year.