LAHORE: Food exports from the country during first two months of current financial year swelled up by 10.17 per cent and recorded at $ 682.712 million as compared to the same period of last year.
During the period from July-August 2013, different food commodities worth $ 682.712 million were exported which were recorded at $ 619.96 million in same period of last year, said the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
During the period under review, rice exports increased by 27.76 per cent and reached at 575,368 metric tons worth $ 286.605 million against the last year’s exports of 345,965 metric tons valuing $ 244.324 million.
However, the data revealed that the exports of Basmati rice recorded negative growth of 21 per cent in first two months of current financial year.
The country was able to export only 104,676 metric tons of Basmati rice worth $ 95 million as compared to 130,191 metric tons costing $ 121.084 million in the corresponding period of last year.
Meanwhile, the data revealed that exports of rice other than Basmati witnessed tremendous increase of 85.03 per cent and was recorded at 370,693 metric tons of $191.02 million as compared to the exports of 215,774 metric tons valuing $103.240 million during the first two months of last year.
From July-August, fish and fish preparations exports grew by 35.57 per cent and country earned $43.311 million by exporting about 19,310 metric tons of fish and fish preparations which was recorded at 13,789 metric tons worth $31.94 million in the same period of last year.
The meat and meat preparations exports from the country also surged up by 17.84 per cent and reached 15,711 metric tons against the 11,729 metric tons of last year.
In first two months country earned $48.65 million by exporting meat and meat preparations which was recorded at $41.29 million during the same period of last year, the data revealed.