ISLAMABAD, Jan 28: Pakistan's exports of 10 major products to Afghanistan registered an average increase of 245 per cent during the first-half (July-December) of the current fiscal, over the same period last year.

Officials told Dawn on Friday that a massive growth was registered in the exports of wheat/flour, rice, grains and pulses, paints and varnishes, ghee, sugar, cement, sanitary wares, mild steel products, construction material, electronic goods and medicine during the period under review, over the same period last year.

According to statistics, Pakistan's total exports to Afghanistan surged by 83.89 per cent during the year first-half of the current fiscal to Rs35.258 billion, as against Rs19.173 billion duriing the same period last year But, the export of sanitary wares to Afghanistan declined by 11.73 per cent to Rs43.766 million during the period under review, as against Rs49.582 million during the same period last year.

The export of grains and pulses declined by 64.8 per cent to Rs33.813 million compared to Rs96.065 million, and the export of milk and cereals declined by 64.5 per cent to Rs468.731 million, as against Rs1320.947 million.

Further analysis showed that Pakistan's export of paints and varnishes to Kabul increased by 1319 per cent to Rs1086.868 million during the first six months this year, as against Rs76.562 million during the same period last year; rice by 46.5 per cent to Rs1459.856 million as compared to Rs996.538 million; and wheat/flour up by 140 per cent to Rs4043.993 million, as against Rs1685.03 million.

Islamabad exported Rs547.323 million worth of fruits/vegetables to Kabul during the first-half against Rs419.889 million the last year, showing an increase of 30.3 per cent.

The export of ghee increased by 69 per cent to Rs3285.773 million as against Rs1942.643 million; sugar by 218.5 per cent to Rs1730.659 million as against Rs543.376 million; cement by 97.4 per cent to Rs1601.321 million as against Rs810.991 million; mild steel products by 176 per cent to Rs2296.507 million as against Rs830.741 million; construction material by 151.8 per cent to Rs816.603 million as against Rs324.221 million; electrical goods by 6.5 per cent to Rs162.778 million as against Rs152.192 million ; electronic goods by 128.3 per cent to Rs90.962 million as against Rs39.832 million; and medicines up by 105 per cent to Rs313.879 million as against Rs153.057 million last year.