Exports over $2b for sixth successive month

Officials brief commerce adviser during meeting to review trade trends

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan’s exports for the month of March reached a record high - the most since March 2011.

Data, based on the provisional (pre-PBS) figures, revealed during a consultative meeting held by Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razaq Dawood to review the trade trends.

The adviser was informed that this is the first time that exports have crossed the $2-billion mark for six successive months after 2011.

Exports in March 2021 increased to $2,345 million as compared to $2,068 million in February, recording an increase of 13.4%.

Dawood was further apprised that since there was a lockdown in March 2021, hence the overall increase in exports of 29% in March 2020 was misleading.

During the meeting, he was briefed that in March 2021, an increasing trend has been witnessed in the export of value-added and non-traditional products.

For example, the export of cement increased by 61%, home textiles 34%, men and women garments 29%, rice 10%, fruits and vegetables 54% and meat 47% compared to March 2020.