ISLAMABAD, Aug 5: The country realized exports worth $1,182.722 million in July 2004, the first month of the fiscal year 2004-05, showing a 32.86 per cent increase over the exports worth $890.172 million recorded in the same period last year.

However, the July exports were down by 5.28 per cent when compared with the exports worth $1,248.623m achieved in June 2004, the last month of the fiscal year 2003-04, according to the provisional trade figures released here on Thursday.

During the first month of the current fiscal, the imports also witnessed a 37.24 per cent growth to $1,372.113m from $999.756m of the same period of the last financial year. The July imports were down by 26.30 per cent when compared with the imports worth $1,861.724m recorded in June 2004.

The trade deficit registered a 69.83pc decrease to $189.391m in July from $613.101m recorded in June 2004. However, when compared with the same period of the last fiscal year, the trade deficit, which was $109.584m in July 2003, has reached to $189.391m in July 2004. -APP