Pakistan's food exports have witnessed a decline of 15.35 percent in July 2016 as compared to the same month of last fiscal year largely because of massive decline in exports of rice, fish and vegetables. According to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the country witnessed a decline of 15.36 percent in food exports.
The decline in exports of basmati rice was noted over 10 percent and 6.12 percent in exports of other rice. Overall 7.92 percent in decline in exports of rice in July 2016 was recorded as compared to the same period of last fiscal year.
There was a massive decline of 37 percent in exports of fish and fish preparations. As a result exports of fish in terms of value have declined to $10.89 million in July 2016 from $17.585 million. Exports of vegetables declined by 28.31 percent during the period under review and decreased from $11 million to $8 million. Export of spices was stated to decline from $4.16 million to 4.06 million.
A comparison of July 2016 over previous month of June 2016 shows that there was a decline of over 34 percent in exports of food products after it decreased to $185.529 million from $284.463 million.
The decline was led by a whooping fall in exports of rice, about 41.61 percent in July over previous month from $143.996 million to $83.952 million. Exports of basmati rice witnessed a decline of 34.03 percent and other rice exports 45.67 percent. Exports of basmati rice declined from $49.5 million in June 2016 to $32.643 million in July 2016, and exports of other rice to $51.309 million from $94.439 million.
Exports of fish and fish preparations have dwindled by 43.27 percent and decreased from $19 million to $10 million while exports of fruits decreased by 16.03 percent to $23million from $27 million. The figures released by the PBS further reveal that exports of vegetables have declined by 36.72 percent to $8 million in July 2016 from $13 million in June 2016.