ISLAMABAD, Sept 19 (NNN-APP) – Pakistan’s food group exports dropped 35.2 percent, year on year, in Aug, this year, official data showed.
The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), reported that, food exports stood at 347.6 million U.S. dollars in Aug, down from 536.2 million dollars in the same month last year. On a month-on-month basis, exports fell 18.6 percent from 426.7 million dollars in July.
Rice, the country’s leading food export, tumbled 43.5 percent, year on year, to 146.3 million dollars, while declining 12.8 percent from July. Within this category, Basmati rice shipments plunged 48.5 percent, year on year, and 7.6 percent, month on month, to 51.5 million dollars, while other rice varieties fell 40.4 percent from last year, and 15.7 percent from July to 94.7 million dollars.
Some products recorded gains. Exports of fish and fish preparations rose 47.8 percent, year on year, and 6.5 percent, month on month, to 23.9 million dollars. Fruit exports increased 4.5 percent, year on year, to 31.5 million dollars but plunged 45.6 percent from July.
Vegetable exports dropped 39.8 percent, year on year, to 13.4 million dollars, down 15.8 percent from July. Tobacco exports shrank 90.9 percent, year on year, and 55.6 percent, month on month, to just 1.8 million dollars.
Other categories showed mixed trends. Meat and meat preparations dropped 5.1 percent, year on year, to 36.4 million dollars, while spices slipped 20.7 percent to 6.3 million dollars. Oil seeds, nuts and kernels surged 62.2 percent from July to 6.8 million dollars, though still down 64.8 percent from last year. No exports of wheat or sugar were recorded in August.
All other food items brought in 81.1 million dollars in August, declining 24.3 percent from July and 14.5 percent compared with the same month last year, according to PBS data.– NNN-APP
