ISLAMABAD, July 27: Pakistan's exports of five major products to Afghanistan declined by an average 44pc in 2003-04. Official sources told Dawn on Tuesday the decline registered in exports of wheat/flour, rice
, grains and pulses, paints and varnishes and sanitary wares.
The export of these commodities might be declined due to availability of these and other primary commodities at lesser prices in the Afghan markets coming from other countries.
Pakistan's export of paints and varnishes to Kabul declined by 97 per cent to Rs91.882 million in 2003-04 as against Rs437.733 million in the previous year; export of sanitary wares declined by 64 per cent to Rs86.678 million as against Rs242.794 million in the previous year.
Exports of grains and pulses declined by 26.89pc to Rs121.536m in 2003-04 as against Rs166.251m in the previous year; rice by 12.2pc to Rs1776.694m as against Rs2024.153m in the previous year and wheat by 21 per cent to Rs3466.946m as against Rs4393.233m in the previous year.
According to the statistics, Pakistan's total exports to Afghanistan surged by 62 per cent during the year 2003-04 to Rs37.714 billion as against Rs23.200bn in the previous year.
Further break up showed that Pakistan trade with Afghanistan has turned into a huge surplus of $110.876 million in 2000-2001; $146.423 million in 2001-02; $280.882 million in 2002-03 and $248.09 million in 2003-04, respectively.
And Afghanistan exports to Pakistan stood at Rs2.705 billion during the year under review against Rs2.425 billion in the previous year, showing an increase of 11.5 per cent.
Islamabad exported Rs2189.660 million worth fruits/vegetable to Kabul during the year 2003-04 against Rs843.300 million in the previous year, showing an increase of 159.6 per cent; milk/cereals stood at Rs1542.165 million as against Rs469.899 million in the previous year, an increase of 228.19 per cent; ghee export increased by 90 per cent to Rs2622.410 million as against Rs1378.304 million in the previous year; sugar by 151.7 per cent to Rs1423.872 million as against Rs565.608 million in the previous year; cement by 55.6 per cent to Rs1260.762 million as against Rs809.750 million in the previous year; mild steel products by 159 per cent to Rs1478.667 million as against Rs570.016 million in the previous year; construction material by 51 per cent to Rs838.572 million as against Rs552.500 million in the previous year; electrical goods by 167 per cent to Rs289.221 million as against Rs108.318 million in the previous year; electronic goods by 39 per cent to Rs55.265 million as against Rs39.732 million in the previous year and by 133 per cent to Rs328.611 million as against Rs140.656 million in the previous year.
Pakistan's export of miscellaneous goods stood at Rs20.141 billion during the year 2003-04 as against Rs10.458 billion in the previous year, an increase of 92 per cent. Kabul major exports to Pakistan includes vegetable, fresh fruit, dry fruit, seeds, spices, timber, scrap and others.
