ISLAMABAD, Sept 11: Pakistan's imports from the United States rose by 80.5 per cent to $1,326.931 million during the year 2003-04 against $735.018 million a year earlier.

Official statistics compiled by the commerce ministry showed that the raise in the imports from the US was due to considerable increase in imports of machinery, aircraft, chemical material and raw cotton during the year under review.

Further analysis showed that the US major export of cereals and cereal preparations to Pakistan increased by 132 per cent during the year; raw cotton increased by 80 per cent; animal oils and fats by 98.3 per cent; chemical elements and compounds by 6.19 per cent; chemical materials and products by 71 per cent.

And US fertilizer exports to Pakistan increased by 34.4 per cent; paper and paper board by 20 per cent; iron, steel and manufactured thereof by 64 per cent; machinery and its parts by 44 per cent; aircraft and parts by 948 per cent; measuring, checking and control instruments by 61.7 per cent.

On the other hand, Pakistan's exports to United States showed an increase of 12.4 per cent to $2.943 billion during 2003-04 against $2.616 billion the previous year.

The massive increase in the imports from the US during the year had resulted into a 41 per cent decline in Pakistan's trade surplus. The statistics showed that Pakistan's trade surplus with the US declined to $1.616 billion during the year under review from $1.881 billion a year earlier.

Pakistan has been enjoying significant trade surplus with the US since 1999 - $1.476 billion in 1999-2000; $1.680 billion in 2000-01; $1.569 billion in 2001-02 and $1.881 billion in 2002-03.

Product-wise analysis showed that Pakistan's export of some 17 items to United States has registered a negative growth during 2003-04 over the previous year.

The items whose export to US registered decline during the year under review over the previous year included fish and fish preparation by 54 per cent; rice (all kinds) by 8 per cent; hides, skins and fur raw by 10 per cent; old clothing and rags by 58.6 per cent; crude vegetables materials by 19.5 per cent; chemical materials and products by 77.4 per cent; leather manufactures by 84.5 per cent; yarn and thread of synthetic fibres by 15.6 per cent; synthetic fabrics by 32.8 per cent; knitted or crocheted fabrics by 8.2 per cent; bags, sacks of cotton and jute by 21.14 per cent, travelling rugs and blankets by 28.9 per cent; carpets and rugs by 0.94 per cent; cutlery by 3.96 per cent; medical, surgical instruments by 23.9 per cent; sports goods, toys by 17.7 per cent and jewellery by 15.8 per cent.

However, Pakistan's export of cotton waste registered a growth of 140 per cent during the year under review; cotton yarn by 71.5 per cent; special textile fabrics and related products by 34.9 per cent, tarpaulins, sails, tents by 75.4 per cent; made-up of textile materials including towel by 23 per cent; construction material including cement by 35.9 per cent; mineral manufactures by 11.7 per cent; machinery and its parts by 129 per cent; road vehicles and their parts by 26.7 per cent; furniture by 23.4 per cent; apparel and clothing access of textile materials by 11.5 per cent; measuring, checking and construction instruments by 61.7 per cent.