ISLAMABAD, Aug 12: Growth in the imports of five major groups raised the import bill by 37.24 per cent to $1.372 billion during the first month of 2004-05 as against $0.999 billion during the same month of last year.

Official figures made available to Dawn showed that the food group import increased by 21.86pc, machinery group (25.56pc), petroleum group (41.42pc), metal group (18.74pc) and agricultural and other chemical group (9.62pc) during the month under review over the same month of the last year.

The statistics further revealed that in the food group - import of milk, cream and milk food for infants increased by 84.19pc, dry fruits (415.66pc), tea (5.98pc), spices (48.16pc), palm oil (15.9pc), soyabean oil (335.35pc) and pulses (60pc) during the month of July 2004 over the same month last year. Decline has been observed only in the import of sugar (59.47pc) during the period under review.

Further analysis showed that the increase in import of machinery group was attributed to a significant rise in the import of aircraft, ship & boats, which increased by 51.45pc, power generating machinery (24.84pc), construction and mining machinery (124.11pc) in July 2004 over the same month last year.

Interestingly, decline has been observed in the imports of office machine including data processing equipment by 30.69pc, textile machinery (39.92pc), electrical machinery and apparatus (28.58pc), road motor vehicles (11.12pc) and agriculture machinery and implements by 64.87pc during the month under review over the same month last year.

The import of petroleum crude increased by 71.07pc and petroleum products by 6.74pc in July 2004 over the same month last year. The import of metal group has significantly increased by 41.42pc during the month under review over the same month last year.