ISLAMABAD: Tea imports into the country during first seven months of current financial year increased by 11.35 percent as compared the imports of corresponding period of last year.
During the period from July-January, 2017-18, about 115,172 million tons of tea worth US$ 339.997 million imported to fulfill the domestic requirements as against the import of 119,314 million tons valuing US$ 303.343 million of the same period of last year, according the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
During the period under review, about 80,171 metric tons of spices worth US$ 93.23 million imported as compared the imports of 68,965 metric tons valuing US$ 75.939 million of same period last year, showing an increase of 22.15 percent.
The imports of milk cream and milk for infants grew by 9.92 percent and about 55,042 metric tons of the commodity worth US$ 152.331 million imported as compared the imports 46,525 metric tons valuing of US$ 138.584 million of same period of last year, it added.
During the period under review, soyabean oil imports into the country also grew by 82.18 percent as about 118.795 metric tons of above mentioned commodity valuing US$ 105.778 million imported as compared the imports of 38,254 metric tons valuing of 58.063 million of same period of last year.
Meanwhile, about 1,662,763 metric tons of palm oil worth of US$ 1.208 billion imported to fulfill the domestic requirements as compared the imports of 1,448,796 metric tons valuing US$ 1.15 million of same period last year.
The imports of palm oil during the period under review grew by 19.04 percent as compared the first seven months of last year, according the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
It may be recalled that country earned US$ 2.395 billion by exporting different food commodities during last seven months of current financial year as compared the exports of US$ 2.016 billion of the corresponding period of last year.
During the period from July-January, 2017-18, food group exports from the country grew by 18.83 percent as against the exports of same period last year.
On the other hand food commodities imports into the country during the period under review grew by 9.77 percent and stood at US$ 3.777 billion as against US$ 3.441 billion of same period last year.
However, on month on month basis, imports of food croup decreased by 7.21 percent as it was recorded at US$ 535.339 million in January, 2018 as against the imports of US$ 576.883 million of same month of last year.
