ISLAMABAD, Oct 31: The import bill of petroleum products surged by 52.68 per cent to $1.457 billion during the first quarter (July-Sept) of the current fiscal year, as against $0.954 billion over the corresponding period last year.

Official figures released here on Monday by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) showed the growth was recorded following a massive increase in the prices of petroleum products in the international market.

On monthly basis, the import of petroleum products registered a growth by 108.13 per cent to $594.954 million in September 2005 as against $285.851 million in the same month last year. The growth was registered both in quantity and value terms during the period under review.

The massive relief operation both aerial and land route in the earthquake affected areas also resulted in an increase in the consumption of petroleum products.

The statistics showed that imports of petroleum products increased by 42.29 per cent and petroleum crude by 59.57 per cent during the first three months of the current fiscal year, over the same period last year.

Besides this, a huge increase of 60.65 per cent was recorded in the import of machinery, followed by a 38.93 per cent increase in consumer goods and 53.46 per cent in metal group during the period under review.

Product-wise details showed the value of total import bill of machinery increased to $1.621 billion in July-Sept 2005, as against $1.008 billion during the same period last year.

A further break-up of the machinery group showed that imports of textile machinery increased by 12.46 per cent, electrical machinery and apparatus by 53.89 per cent, road motor vehicles by 97.83 per cent, power generating machinery by 0.62 per cent and agriculture machinery and implements by 217.57 per cent during the first three months this year, over the same months last year.

However, imports of aircraft, ship and boats declined by 7.10 per cent, office machines by 1.18 per cent and construction and mining machine by 13.89 per cent during the months under review, over the last year.

The import bill of consumer goods has increased by 38.93 per cent to $442.354 million as compared to $318.394 million. Of these, imports of sugar increased by 16590.92 per cent, dry fruits by 119.23 per cent, milk products by 82.16 per cent, and pulses by 34.95 per cent during the July-Sept period this year, over the same period last year.

The import of metal group has increased by 53.46 per cent to $382.210 million as compared to $249.065 million. However, imports of agriculture and other chemicals registered a marginal growth of 3.39 per cent to $959.798 million, as against $928.344 million.

The total import bill increased by 52.04 per cent to $6.553 billion during the first three months of the fiscal year 2005, as against $4.310 billion during the same period last year.