ISLAMABAD: Rice worth US$ 223.937 million has been exported during the first two months of current financial year.

During the period from July-August, 2017 rice exports from the country grew by 40.36 percent as compared to the exports of the same period of last year, according the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

In last two months around 428,993 metric tons of rice worth US$ 223.937 million was exported as compared to the exports of 380,861 metric tons valuing US$ 159.543 million, it added.

Meanwhile, the exports of basmati rice grew by 10.35 percent and about 59,433 metric tons of basmati rice worth US$ 62.741 million was exported as compared to the exports of 59,192 metric tons valuing US$ 56.857 million of same period last year.

The exports of rice other than basmati also witnessed an increase of 58.98 percent, around 369.580 metric tons of rice costing US$ 161.198 million was exported as compared to the exports of 251,669 metric tons worth US$ 102.888 million of last year.

On month on month basis, rice exports from the country grew by 53 percent in August, 2017 as compared to the same month of last year, the data reveled.

About 227,998 metric tons of rice worth US$ 116.041 million exported in August as compared  to the exports of 146,769 metric tons valuing US$ 75.569 million of same period last year.

Meanwhile, basmati rice worth US$ 86.290 million was exported last month, which grew by 2.15 percent as compared to the same month of last year.

Exports of basmati rice was recorded at 28,482 metric tons in the month of August as compared to the exports 30,446 metric tons of same period last year.

During the period from July-August 2017, food group exports of the country increased by 30.6 percent as compared to the exports of the same period of last year.

Country earned US$ 512.321 million by exporting different food commodities during first two-months of current financial year as compared to the earnings of the corresponding period of last year.