March 26, 2006	Sunday	Safar 25, 1427

ISLAMABAD, March 25: The import bill of petroleum products rose by 66.09 per cent to $4.572 billion during the July-Feb period of the current fiscal year as against $2.415 billion in the same period last year.

Of these, import of petroleum products recorded a growth of 52.91 per cent and petroleum crude 75.62 per cent. However, in quantity term, the import of petroleum products declined by 9.02 per cent and petroleum crude by 1.94 per cent.

Official figures available with Dawn indicated that the import bill of petroleum products up by 69.38 per cent to $488.207 million in February as compared to $288.238 million in the same month last year.

The import bill is likely to touch $30 billion by the end of the current fiscal year owing to the persistent increase in imports of oil and other products.

The second biggest component of trade deficit was the import of consumer goods which rose by 39.71 per cent to $1.177 billion during the July-Feb period of the current fiscal year as against $0.842 billion during the same period last year. The import of wheat rose by 78.37 per cent, tea by 3.52 per cent, sugar 10,369.85 per cent, dry fruits 44.15, milk products 64.37 per cent and pulses by 54.30 per cent.

The import bill of machinery group recorded a hefty growth of 35.30 per cent to $4.572 billion during the last eight months of the current fiscal year as against $3.379 billion in the same period last year. Of these, import of road-motor vehicles registered a growth of 44.03 per cent in value during the period under review over the last year.

The import bill of agriculture implements rose by 128.15 per cent, electrical machinery and apparatus by 45.51 per cent, power generating machinery by 44.85 per cent, construction and mining machinery by 4.72 per cent and office machines by 2.03 per cent. However, the import of textile machinery declined by 5.06 per cent.

The import bill of metal group went up by 68.96 per cent and agriculture and other chemicals by 27 per cent.

The textile group import rose by 69.16 per cent to $359.450 million during the July-Feb period as against $212.495 million last year. Of these, import bill of synthetic increased by 69.19 per cent, synthetic and artificial silk yarn 83.09 per cent and worn clothing by 22.19 per cent.