The country's long-awaited provisional foreign trade figures of July-January period of current fiscal year show 9.7 percent growth in exports and 32.5 percent in imports. According to a one-page summary of trade figures released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) here on Wednesday, exports touched $7.562 billion during this period, against $6.975 billion in the same period of last year, showing an increase of 9.7 percent. The imports reached $10.534 billion, against $7.95 billion of last year, indicating a 32.5 percent growth.

The much-reconciled trade figures also indicate that the country's trade deficit was touching $3 billion ($2.883 billion) against $975 million, indicating 196 percent increase.

The export figures for January this year registered 2.82 percent growth to $1.152 billion against $1.120 billion in the same month of last year. However, imports declined by 3 percent to $1.667 billion as compared to $1.617 billion in the same months of last year.

The comparison of trade figures of January against December shows 5.29 percent growth in exports and 20.2 percent in imports.

It may be mentioned here that FBS had failed to release detailed trade figures of January in February despite one month long consultation between the officials of board and the Central Board of Revenue (CBR).

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005