Food exports grow 22pc in July-October

Exports of raw food items surged 21.73 per cent to $2.36 billion in July-October from $1.94bn in the corresponding period last year, according to data compiled by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. In FY24, the raw food exports touched $8bn, up from $5.8bn in the preceding year. As a result, consumers nationwide are paying higher prices for food items because of supply and demand gaps. Raw food exports have risen for the past 15 consecutive months despite unprecedented food inflation in the country’s history. In the first four months, sugar exports reached 187,247 tonnes, compared to 33,101 tonnes in the same months last year, showing an increase of 413.46pc. Millers have mainly exported sugar to Afghanistan.