KARACHI: Inflows of workers’ remittances registered a sharp decline of 13 percent during the first 11 months of this fiscal year (FY23).
The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Tuesday reported that, on a cumulative basis, Pakistan received home remittances amounting to $24.83 billion during July-May of FY23 compared to $28.49 billion in the same period of the last fiscal year, showing a decline of $ 3.66 billion.
Analysts said the decline in remittances is because of higher inflation and economic slowdown in hosting countries. While, unstable exchange rate in the domestic market has also largely contributed in the slow home remittance inflows.
Remittances decline 13% month-on-month in April, stand at $2.2bn
As the difference between interbank and open markets exchange rates has widened, more workers are using unofficial channels to send money home, they added.
During the period under review, with 25 percent share, Saudi Arabia is the largest contributor in the overall home remittances inflows. However, cumulatively, inflows from Saudi Arabia fell by 16 percent to $6 billion in the first eleven months of this fiscal year down from $7 billion in same period of last fiscal year.
In addition, during July-May of FY23, remittances from the United Kingdom were $3.711 billion, decline by 8 percent, USA $2.8 billion, up by 1 percent, United Arab Emirates (UAE) $4.32 billion, down by 19 percent and inflows from EU fell by 7.7 percent to $ 2.8 billion.
Month on Month basis, inflows of home remittances posted a 4.5 percent decline to $2.1 billion in May 2023 as against $2.2 billion in April 2023. On a yearly basis, the inflow of remittances also registered a decline of 10.4 percent in May 2023 compared to May 2022, in which inflows worth $2.34 billion were arrived.
Remittances inflow during May 2023 was mainly sourced from Saudi Arabia worth $524 million, United Arab Emirates amounting to $335.8 million, United Kingdom $306.5 million and United States of America $257.2 million.
Analysts said that although, there is some decline in the remittances inflows during the May, however, some increase is being expected in June due to Eid as overseas Pakistanis are likely to send more remittances to their families in Pakistan for Eid expenditures. In addition, stability in the exchange rate will also help to bring more home remittances inflows through legal channel, they added.
The declining trend in remittance inflows is not encouraging for the economy as presently, the country is need healthy foreign inflows to build the depleting foreign exchange reserves and avoid default.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023