ISLAMABAD, Aug 5: Exports in July amounted to $890.034 million (Rs51,393 million), down 21.56 per cent from the previous month, according to provisional aggregate figures about external trade released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics here on Tuesday.

But when compared to July 2002, these indicated an increase of 8.98 per cent in US dollar and 5.25 per cent in Pakistani rupee.

The imports amounting $997.818 million (Rs57,617 million) also showed a decline of 10.70 per cent from June 2003. As compared to the corresponding month of previous year, however, the imports were up by 7.61 per cent in dollar and by 3.93 per cent in rupee.

Consequently, the first month of financial year 2003-04 left the country with a high trade gap of $107.784 million (Rs6,224 million). However, it was 2.51 per cent less than in July 2002 in dollar and 5.84 per cent in rupee.

The exports in July 2003 were, however, a far from an encouraging augury in terms of fulfilment of the target. In terms of monthly average, exports are short of the target by nearly $100 million.