Food exports from the country witnessed negative growth of 6.03 to reach at $4.237 billion during the fiscal year 2011/12 as compared to the exports of the same period of the previous year. The food exports during July-June (2011-12) stood at $4.237 billion against the exports of $4.509 billion recorded during July-June (2010-11), according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The major food commodities that contributed to the negative growth included rice, exports of which decreased by 4.57 percent from $2.160 billion to $2.061 billion. Among the rice commodities, the exports of basmati rice decreased by 14.87 percent, however the exports of other food qualities increased by 3.7 percent during the period under review. Exports of vegetables also decreased by 32.65 percent by going down from $268.203 million to $180.622 million while the exports of wheat decreased by 78.56 percent by falling from $586.603 million to $125.748 million. Similarly, the exports of spices decreased from $50.384 million to $50.024 million, showing negative growth of 0.71 percent. Meanwhile, the food products that witnessed positive growth included fish and fish preparations, exports of which increased by 6.53 percent by going up from $296.182 million to $315.525 million. Exports of fruits also increased from $292.422 million to $358.201 million, showing 22.49 percent increase while the exports of leguminous vegetables (pulses) increased by 437.51 percent by going up from $1.754 million to $9.428 million.
