ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s merchandise exports declined by 0.59 per cent in June, marking a continued downward trend during the fiscal year 2024-25, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday.

The export proceeds recorded a negative growth for the past three consecutive months — June (0.59pc), May (10.07pc) and April (7.36pc). This reflects that the government will have to consider measures to reverse the trend in export proceeds from the country.

In FY25, export proceeds rose 4.67pc to $32.106bn against $30.675bn in the preceding year.

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The export proceeds fell to single digits in October, and the growth pace progressively slowed in the months that followed, eventually hitting negative growth in February 5.57pc and in April 7.36pc and May 10.07pc. Export growth returned in March, with a modest 3.08pc increase, but fell back to negative growth in April and the following months.

Trade deficit widens to $26.27bn in FY25

The exports grew 11.83pc in July, followed by 16pc in August, 13.52pc in September, 10.64pc in October, 8.98pc in November, 0.67pc in December and 4.59pc in January. Exports reached $2.54bn in June compared to $2.56bn in the corresponding month last year. On a month-on-month basis, exports declined 4.79pc.

Trade deficit

According to the PBS data, imports grew 6.57pc to $58.38bn in July-June FY25 from $54.78bn over the last year. Imports surged to $4.86bn in June from $4.96bn last year, a decline of 1.97pc. Month-on-month, imports decreased 7.08pc.

The trade deficit in July-June FY25 increased by 9pc to $26.27bn from $24.11bn over the last year. In June, the deficit decelerated by 3.45pc to $2.32bn from $2.41bn last year.

The trade gap contracted to $24.08bn in FY24 from $27.47bn in the preceding year.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2025