By Asad Cheema
ISLAMABAD: Meat and meat preparations exports from the country during the first month of the current financial year increased by 37.22 per cent as compared to the exports of the corresponding period of last year.
In July 2023, about 8,910 metric tons of meat and meat products valued at $9.926 million were exported as compared to 5,705 metric tons worth $25.408 million in the same period last year, according to the data of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
Meanwhile, 10,284 metric tons of fish and fish products valued at $18.980 million were also exported during the period under review as compared to the exports of 8,084 metric tons worth $18.572 million in the same month of last year. During the first month of the current financial year, seafood exports grew by 2.20 per cent, whereas the exports of fruits increased by 4.61 per cent.
In July 2023 food commodities valued at $329.156 million were exported as compared to the exports of $356.073 million of the same month last year, which was down by 7.56 per cent.
It is worth mentioning here that the trade deficit witnessed a decline of 41.16 per cent during the first month of the current fiscal year (2023-24) as compared to the corresponding month of last year.
The trade deficit during the month under review was recorded at $1.607 billion against the deficit of $2.731 billion in July 2022, a decline of 41.16 per cent. The exports during the month were recorded at $2.057 billion against $2.250 billion last year, showing a decline of 8.57 per cent.
On the other hand, the imports witnessed a sharp decline of 26.44 per cent falling from $4.981 billion last year to $3.664 billion during July 2023.
