The country's pulses import phenomenally fell by $2.445 million during July-April 2013 on the back of a better crop, importers said on Thursday. "Last year, the winter frost hit the crop but this year the yield is encouraging," they added.
The country's import of pulses slumped by 61 percent or $2.445 million to $1.578 million during July-April 2012-13 as compared to the commodity's import of $4.023 million in the same period of the last fiscal year, Pakistan Bureau of Statistics suggest. "A big [channa] crop we have this year, which helped the country scale back its import," says chairman Karachi Wholesales Grocers Association (KWGA), Anis Majeed.
Pulses import receded by 57.13 percent or 2,596 metric tonnes to 1,948 metric tonnes during July-April 2012-13 as compared to the commodity's import of 4,544 metric tonnes during the same period last fiscal year.
Anis said, "importers reduced pulses imports as there were forecast the country may produce about one million metric tonnes crop this year." The yield is now sufficient to cater to the local needs for entire year, he added. Pakistan depends on Australia, Burma, Tanzania and Ethiopia for its pulses import to satisfy about 0.6 million metric tonnes demand for the commodity every year. Hostile weather ravaged pulses crop last year, which reduced the yield as a result the country had to increase its reliance on import of the commodity, importers pointed out. The country's pulses production last year remained 'meager' to 291, 000 metric tonnes, which not pushed the commodity prices upward on local market but also increased its import, Majeed added.
Comments
Comments are closed.