Food import bill surges by whopping 52.16pc to $3.91b in six months.

ISLAMABAD -- Despite being an agricultural country, Pakistan's food import bill has surged by 52.16 percent in first six months (July-December) of the current fiscal year, putting pressure on the country's overall import bill.

The country has imported food commodities worth $3.91 billion in July-December period of the year 2020-21 as against $2.57 billion in same period of the previous year, showing an increase of 52.16 percent, according to the latest data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Pakistan has imported food commodities to overcome the shortage in the country. In last few months, the country has faced shortfall of wheat and sugar, which resulted in massive increase in commodities prices.

The government has imported wheat, sugar, pulses and other commodities in the period under review. Pakistan has imported wheat worth $661 million in six months of the ongoing financial year, showing an increase of 100 percent. The government had not imported wheat in corresponding period of the previous year. The government has imported sugar worth $126.6 million in July-December period of 2020-21 as compared to $1.5 million in same period of the last year. Meanwhile, import of pulses has shown an increase of 17.06 percent to $287.5 million in first six months of the present financial year.

The PBS data showed that import of soyabean oil, palm oil, tea, dry fruits and milk has also shown an increase in the period under review putting pressure on the country's overall import bill. The latest data of PBS showed that Pakistan has imported goods worth $24.52 billion in first half of the ongoing fiscal year, which were at $23.2 billion in same period of previous year. Import bill of the country has enhanced by 5.72 percent.

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