ISLAMABAD, Feb 10: The export of nine major commodities mostly industrial goods — electronic, sanitary wares, steel products, paints and construction materials — to Afghanistan registered a decline during the first six months (July-Dec) of 2005-06 over the same period last year.

Official data available with Dawn showed that the export of cement, ghee, pulses, milk products and medicines grew during the period under review.

The data obtained from Customs Collectorates of Peshawar and Quetta indicated a 7.09 per cent growth in overall export to Kabul at Rs30.601 billion during the period under review as against Rs28.575 billion the same period last year.

It was believed that Indian products were penetrating in the Afghanistan market owing to their better quality and cheaper prices as compared to Pakistani goods. Moreover, the Indian officials posted in Afghanistan were also promoting their products by giving more facilitation to their exporters.

The government had changed procedures for claiming of refunds in the Trade Policy 2005-06 which were creating problems for genuine exporters to Afghanistan.

Product wise detail showed that the export of construction materials to Afghanistan declined by 19.97 per cent to Rs530.461 million during the July-Dec period as against Rs662.876 million the same period last year.

Similarly, the export of paints and varnishes to Kabul fell by 51.7 per cent to Rs433.531 million as against Rs898.648 million of last year; export of mild steel products declined by 11.6 per cent to Rs1706.147 million as against Rs1,904.919 million the same period of the last year.

The export of sanitary wares dipped by 64 per cent to Rs13.154 million during the period as against Rs36.608 million of last year; export of electronic goods declined by 86.96 per cent to Rs11.859 million as against Rs90.962 million over the same period of the last year.

Among the food group, the export of rice declined by 22.26 per cent to Rs945.471 million as against Rs1,216.229 million over the same period last year; fruits and vegetables declined by 27.73 per cent to Rs360.856 million as against Rs499.341 million the same period of the last year.

The export of sugar plunged by 54.6 per cent to Rs763.192 million during the period under review as against Rs1,682.677 million the same period last year; wheat flour/wheat by 25.59 per cent to Rs2.497 billion as against Rs3.356 billion over the same period a year ago.

The export of ghee increased by 2 per cent to Rs2.597 billion during July-Dec as against Rs2.546 billion over the same period the last year; cement by 47 per cent to Rs2.224 billion against Rs1.512 billion; medicines by 48.95 per cent to Rs383.406 million against Rs257.390 million during the same period last year.

The export of the electrical goods to Afghanistan increased by 88.4 per cent to Rs882.086 million against Rs101.920 million; grains and pulses by 1,282.2 per cent to Rs442.910 million against Rs32.043 million during the same period of the last year.