ISLAMABAD     -    The tea imports witnessed an increase of 10.20 percent during the first month of the current fis­cal year as compared to the cor­responding month of last year.

The tea imports during July 2022 were recorded at $45.321 million against the imports of $41.127 million during July 2021, according to data of Pakistan Bureau of Sta­tistics (PBS). In terms of quan­tity, the tea imports however decreased by 2.64 percent during the period under re­view as these went down from 18,625 metric tons last July to 18,133 metric tons during the same month of current fiscal year, the data revealed.

On month-on-month ba­sis, the food imports into the country witnessed nominal increase of 0.08 percent when compared to the imports of $45.286 million in June 2022. In terms of quantity, the tea imports increased by 6.11 per­cent when compared to the imports of 17,089 metric tons. The overall food imports in­creased by 17.87 percent from $565.150 million last July to $763.135 during July 2022.

It is pertinent to mention here that the country’s over­all merchandise imports de­clined by 12.81 percent to $4,861 million in July 2022 compared to imports of $5,575 million in July 2021. Exports also declined by 5.17 percent in July 2022 to $2,219 million as compared to ex­ports of $2,340 million in July 2021. Based on the figures, the merchandize trade deficit declined by 18.33 percent by going down form the deficit of $3,235 million last July to $2,642 million in July 2022, according to PBS data.