KARACHI - Country's trade deficit has enlarged to $14.486 billion dollars in 9 months (July to March) of current FY08. The total trade deficit reached $14.486 billion dollars against $10.041 billion dollars of same period of last fiscal which showed $4.445 billion (44.27 percent) dollars increase over last year. The official figures showed that about 9 percent increase has been registered in exports during 9 months of current FY08 as total export amounted to $13.476 billion dollars in this period against $12.377 billion dollars of corresponding period of last FY08. Similarly, a massive increase of 24.73 percent has been witnessed in imports as 9 months and imports reached $27.962 billion dollars against $22.419 billion of same period of last year. According to experts, the high international oil prices (fuel/edible oil) and sharp increase in the imports of different groups have consumed a big chunk of additional amount of foreign exchange, causing extra burden on the national reserves which resulted ever increasing trade deficit. On the other hand, the analysts were of the view that the energy crisis has appeared as death warrant for the economy which is disaster for the industry. Official data depicted a wide increase of 85 percent in the trade deficit of March of current fiscal as one month's total deficit reached $2.036 billion dollars against $1.099 billion dollars of same period of last fiscal. While, country's total exports registered at $1.786 billion dollars in March of current FY08 against $1.523 billion dollars of same period of last FY08 which depicted 17.29 percent increase. Similarly a massive increase of 45.78 percent has been witnessed in imports of March of current fiscal as one month's imports reached to $3.823 billion dollars against $2.622 billion dollars of same period of last fiscal. Sources said that the fast-growing trade deficit had caused over 8 billion dollars current account deficit in eight months of 2007-08, leading to erosion in the foreign exchange reserves of the country in this fiscal. In October last year the total foreign exchange reserves of Pakistan had improved to 16.24 billion dollars mark, from where the reserves have depleted to 13.13 billion dollars till last week, showing a decrease of over 3 billion dollars in reserves in few months. Sources said that the total trade deficit of Pakistan could reach around 19-20 billion dollars in FY08 (against 13.20 billion dollars in FY07) that would be a big blow to the economy of the country.