Metal trade: Gold, iron, steel imports fall

ISLAMABAD: Gold imports into the country fell in the first quarter of the current fiscal year by 22.73% against the same period of last year. Imports of gold during the period under review stood at $28.42 million, against imports of $36.78 million in the same period of the preceding year. According to data provided by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, overall imports in the metals category, however, increased by 0.57% during July-September 2012. Metal imports during the period under review stood at $687.09 million against imports of $683.19 million during the same period last year. Meanwhile, imports of iron and steel scrap registered growth of 23.30% during July-September 2012. However, imports of iron and steel shrank by 3.84%, falling from $331.79 million to $319.05 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2013, whereas imports of aluminium, wrought and worked, decreased by 9.30% from $30.74 million to stand at $27.88 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 6^th, 2012.