Food imports witness negative growth

ISLAMABAD (APP) - Imports of various food commodities witnessed negative growth of 14.34 percent during the first two months of the current financial year as against the corresponding period of last year.
Food group imports during July-August 2009-10 were recorded at $ 475.202 million against the imports of $ 554.756 million recorded during July-August 2008-09, according to provisional figures of Federal Bureau of Statistics.
The highest negative growth of 91.61 percent was recorded in the imports of wheat (un-milled). Imports of the commodity during the period under review were recorded at $ 9.992 million against the imports of $ 90.199 million during July-August 2008-09.
Imports of milk, cream and milk food for infants also declined by 34.13 percent during July-August 2009-10 where as palm oil imports declined by 33.70 percent.
Similarly imports of soybean oil and spices decreased by 52.48 percent and 10.71 percent respectively.
On the other hand, there has been 1648 percent increase in the imports of sugar during July-August 2009-10 as against the imports of the commodity during the same period of last year.
Imports of tea during the period under review were increased by 5.2 percent and pulses (leguminous vegetables) by 8.92 percent whereas imports of other food items also increased by 72.13 percent.
As compared to the month of July 2009, imports of food items during August 2009 declined by 20.87 percent, the figures revealed.
During August 2009, imports of milk, cream and milk food for infants decreased by 16.55 percent, wheat (un-milled) by 88.15 percent, soybean oil by 31.30 percent and palm oil by 31.9 percent.
However, imports of dry fruits and nuts during the month increased by 16.63 percent where as imports of tea increased by 9.78 percent, pulses by 9.34 percent and imports of other food items increased by 55.69 percent.