Food Group Imports Grow 2.32% In 10 Months

ISLAMABAD, May 25 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th May, 2018 ) :The food group imports grew by 2.32 percent to $5.21 billion during first 10 months of current fiscal year (July-April, 2017-18) compared to the imports worth $5.1 billion during same period of previous year. According to latest data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), import of milk, cream and milk food also witnessed an increase of 6.48 percent as it surged to $221.266 million in July-April, 2017-18 from $207.798 million in first 10 months of the year 2016-17. The import of dry fruits and nuts, however declined to $97.097 million in the period under review from $148.8 million during same period of last year, showing a decrease of 34.75 percent. The tea import witnessed an increase of 9.04 percent as $492.982 million worth of import was recorded during July-April (2017-18) as compared to the import of $452.11 million during same period of last year. Similarly, the import of spices also witnessed an increase of 18.9 percent to $136.8 million from $115.05 million while soyabean oil import jumped to $120.417 million in the period under review from $81.582 during same period last year, showing an increase of 47.6 percent. Likewise, palm oil import also posted increase of 11.5 percent as it reached $1.73 billion from $1.5 billion in July-April 2016-17.

Sugar import increased by 1.47 percent from $4.29 million to $4.353 million while the import of pulses witnessed a decline of 47 percent as it went down to $442.731 million in July-April 2017-18 from $835.3 million in same period of last year. On yearly and monthly basis, the import of food items in April 2018, witnessed a decrease of 15.01 percent and 5.48 percent when compared to import during April, 2017 and March 2018 respectively.

During April 2018, $485.9 million worth of import of food items was recorded as compared to the import worth $571.7 million in April 2017, and $514.1 million in March 2018. Dry fruits and nuts' import in April 2018 also witnessed a decline of 92 percent and 23 percent when compared to the import during April 2017 and March 2018 respectively. Import of pulses in April 2018 declined to $34.8 million from $112 million in April 2017 and $54 million in March 2018, showing a decrease of 69 percent and 36 percent respectively. However, import of soyabean oil in April 2018 witnessed an increase of 8.1 percent and 11 percent when compared to the import during April, 2017 and March 2018.

The import of soyabean oil in the period under review was recorded at $9.8 million compared to the import of $9.1 million same month a year ago and $3 million in March 2018.