By Usman Ahmed
Despite poor economic conditions in the country, Pakistanis used mobile phones, tea and motorcars worth Rs32.962 billion, Rs17.454 billion, and Rs17.191 billion, respectively, during the first six months of the current fiscal year (2012-2013), according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The PBS figures revealed that the country imported food stuff worth $2.157 billion during the first half (July-December) of the year 2012-13. The break-up of $2.157 billion revealed that import bill of milk products was up by 3.20 per cent, dry fruits and nuts 1.02 percent, import of tea increased by 6.46 percent, import of spices decreased by 30.06 percent, soyabean oils imports went up by 26.47 percent, palm oil import decreased by 18.92 percent, sugar import declined by 78 percent, import of pulses went down by 12.76 percent and import of all other food items decreased by 24.80 percent during the period under review.
Meanwhile, according to PBS figures, the country imported machinery worth of $2.907 billion. Transport group imports stood at $951 million, textile group $1.115 billion, agricultural and other chemicals $3.136 billion, metal group $1.529 billion, miscellaneous group imports were recorded at $402 million and all other items imports remained $2.026 billion during July-December period of 2012-13 against July-December period of 2011-12. It is worth mentioning here that Pakistans overall imports were recorded to $21.922 billion in July-December period of ongoing financial year as compared to $22.678 billion of the corresponding period last year.
The food exports of the country during first half of financial year 2012-13 increased by 4.82 percent as compared to same period of last year. The exports of overall food group were recorded at $2.054 million during July-December (2012-13) against the exports of $1.959 million during July-December (2011-12).
According to PBS data, the food exports from the country on month on month basis also increased by 14.34 percent and 18.01 percent during December 2012 when compared with December 2011 and November 2012, respectively. The food exports increased from $384.493 million in December 2011 and $374.465 million in November 2012 to $441.923 million in December 2012.
The major food items which recorded increase in their exports during the first six months of current financial year over same period of last year include sugar (100 percent), meat and meat preparations (43.74 percent), fish and fish preparations (2.64 percent), vegetables (38.28 percent), spices (25.07 percent), oil seeds, nuts and kernels (41.6 percent) and all other food items (17.31 percent).
Similarly the food items which recorded decrease in their exports include rice (12.33 percent), fruits (1.77 percent), pulses (56.68 percent), tobacco (40.91 percent) and wheat (61.49 percent). The overall exports from the country witnessed growth of 7.58 percent during the period July-December (2012-13) as compared to same period of last year. Exports from the country during July-December (2012-13) were recorded at $12.0513 billion against the exports of US$ 11.201 billion during the same period of last year.
Despite poor economic conditions in the country, Pakistanis used mobile phones, tea and motorcars worth Rs32.962 billion, Rs17.454 billion, and Rs17.191 billion, respectively, during the first six months of the current fiscal year (2012-2013), according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The PBS figures revealed that the country imported food stuff worth $2.157 billion during the first half (July-December) of the year 2012-13. The break-up of $2.157 billion revealed that import bill of milk products was up by 3.20 per cent, dry fruits and nuts 1.02 percent, import of tea increased by 6.46 percent, import of spices decreased by 30.06 percent, soyabean oils imports went up by 26.47 percent, palm oil import decreased by 18.92 percent, sugar import declined by 78 percent, import of pulses went down by 12.76 percent and import of all other food items decreased by 24.80 percent during the period under review.
Meanwhile, according to PBS figures, the country imported machinery worth of $2.907 billion. Transport group imports stood at $951 million, textile group $1.115 billion, agricultural and other chemicals $3.136 billion, metal group $1.529 billion, miscellaneous group imports were recorded at $402 million and all other items imports remained $2.026 billion during July-December period of 2012-13 against July-December period of 2011-12. It is worth mentioning here that Pakistans overall imports were recorded to $21.922 billion in July-December period of ongoing financial year as compared to $22.678 billion of the corresponding period last year.
The food exports of the country during first half of financial year 2012-13 increased by 4.82 percent as compared to same period of last year. The exports of overall food group were recorded at $2.054 million during July-December (2012-13) against the exports of $1.959 million during July-December (2011-12).
According to PBS data, the food exports from the country on month on month basis also increased by 14.34 percent and 18.01 percent during December 2012 when compared with December 2011 and November 2012, respectively. The food exports increased from $384.493 million in December 2011 and $374.465 million in November 2012 to $441.923 million in December 2012.
The major food items which recorded increase in their exports during the first six months of current financial year over same period of last year include sugar (100 percent), meat and meat preparations (43.74 percent), fish and fish preparations (2.64 percent), vegetables (38.28 percent), spices (25.07 percent), oil seeds, nuts and kernels (41.6 percent) and all other food items (17.31 percent).
Similarly the food items which recorded decrease in their exports include rice (12.33 percent), fruits (1.77 percent), pulses (56.68 percent), tobacco (40.91 percent) and wheat (61.49 percent). The overall exports from the country witnessed growth of 7.58 percent during the period July-December (2012-13) as compared to same period of last year. Exports from the country during July-December (2012-13) were recorded at $12.0513 billion against the exports of US$ 11.201 billion during the same period of last year.
