Pakistan exports rice worth $1.86 billion in 2015/16

ISLAMABAD: The country earned $1.860 billion by exporting rice during the financial year 2015/16 as compared to the exports in the corresponding period of the last year.

Around 4,262,216 metric tons of rice was exported during the period from July-June 2015/16, according the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

However, rice exports witnessed decrease of 8.60 percent during the financial year 2015/16, as its exports were recorded at 3,861,406 metric tons, valuing $2.035 billion during the financial year 2014/15.

During the period under review, 503,037 metric tons of basmati worth $455.249 million was exported as compared to the export of 523.450 metric tons, valuing $601.268 million during the same period of the last year.

Meanwhile, besides basmati, around 3,759,179 metric tons of rice costing $1.405 billion was exported during the financial year 2015/16 as compared to the exports of 3,337,956 metric tons worth $1.433 billion during the financial year 2014/15.

At the same time, exports of spices from the country were recorded at $76.160 million during July-June (2015/16) as compared to the exports of $66.216 million in July-June (2014/15).

In terms of quantity, the exports increased by 8.29 percent by going up from 6,713 metric tons to 20,281 metric tons.

In June 2016, the total exports of spices were recorded at 4.551 million as compared to the exports of 6.276 million in June 2015.

The overall food exports from the country during FY16 decreased by 12.56 percent as compared to FY15. The food exports during FY16 were recorded at $3.990 billion as compared to the exports of $4.563 billion in FY15.