ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s exports to the Middle East grew 15.92 per cent on a year-on-year basis to $2.664 billion in FY22 from $2.298bn mainly led by substantial growth in exports to the United Arab Emirates.

The exports to the region saw a mixed trend with a decline in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, while an increase was seen in other countries of the region, according to data compiled by the State Bank of Pakistan.

The UAE has emerged as the leading country for Pakistan’s export of goods as it saw an increase of 23.85pc to $1.843bn in FY22 from $1.488bn over the corresponding year. Nearly 70pc of the total exports to the region go alone to the UAE market.

Pakistan’s top export products to UAE include rice, bovine carcasses and half carcasses, men’s/boys’ cotton ensembles and guavas, mangoes and mangosteens, etc.

Likewise, Pakistan’s top sectoral exports to the UAE include cereals, articles of apparel and clothing and meat and edible offal etc.

UAE emerges as the region’s biggest buyer of Pakistani goods in FY22

The second biggest market for Pakistan’s exports in terms of value is Saudi Arabia. However, the exports witnessed a decline of 9.82pc to $420.288m in FY22 from $466.062m in the preceding year.

Pakistan’s exports to Saudi Arabia stagnated at around $500m in the last decade. It clearly shows that no substantial growth was seen in the market access as compared to the UAE.

Pakistan’s top exports to Saudi Arabia include rice (semi- or wholly milled), bovine carcasses and half carcasses, tents, textile materials, etc.

Pakistan’s exports to Qatar grew 31.18pc to $196.601m in FY22 from $149.864m over the previous year, which include rice, bovine carcasses, potatoes, onions, guavas and mangoes, etc.

In the sports sector, the export of footballs up 44.84pc in July-June this year from a year ago. Pakistan is the official football supplier to the next FIFA World Cup to start in November in Doha, Qatar.

Pakistan’s export to Kuwait posted a negative growth of 3.13pc to $134.425m in FY22 from $138.781m over the previous year. Top exports to Kuwait include bovine carcasses, seafood, tents, and rice, etc.

The top sectoral exports to Kuwait include meat and edible meat offal, followed by other made-up textiles.

The export to Bahrain posted a positive growth of 25.33pc to $69.828m in FY22 from $55.714m over the previous year. Pakistan’s top export products to Bahrain include is rice, cotton yarn, bovine carcasses, textured yarn and printing ink, etc.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2022