October 18, 2023 (MLN): Pakistan's revised trade deficit for the month of September clocked in at $1.518 billion compared to a deficit of $2.162bn from the previous month, improving by 29.79% MoM, according to the revised data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
Similarly, compared to September 2022's deficit of $2.856bn, the trade deficit improved by 46.85% YoY.
Exports inched up by 1.6% MoM to $2.48bn compared to $2.37bn in August 2023.
Imports in September 2023 fell by 24.54% MoM, clocking in at $4bn compared to $4.53bn in August 2023.
According to the provisional figures compiled by the PBS, in Pakistani Rupees terms, exports from Pakistan during September 2023 amounted to Rs737.3bn (provisional) as against Rs695.1bn in August, 2023.
The main commodities of exports during September 2023 were Knitwear (Rs103bn), Readymade garments (Rs74bn), Bed wear (Rs69bn), Cotton Cloth (Rs52bn), Oil seeds, nuts and kernels (Rs47bn), Cotton Yarn (Rs34bn), Rice Others (Rs32bn), Towels (Rs25bn), Rice basmati (Rs19bn) and Madeup articles (excl. towels & bedwear.) (Rs17bn).
Meanwhile, imports in PKR terms into Pakistan during September 2023 amounted to Rs1.19 trillion (provisional) as against Rs1.33tr in August 2023.
The main commodities of imports during September 2023 were Petroleum products (Rs162.1bn), Petroleum crude (Rs146.12bn), Natural gas, liquified (Rs75.33bn), Palm oil (Rs61.4bn), Plastic Materials (Rs49.63bn), Electric machinery & apparatus (Rs44.7bn), Iron & steel (Rs44.2bn), Mobile phones (Rs37.01bn), Iron & steel scrap (Rs27.3bn) and Pulses (leguminous vegetables) (Rs22.2bn).
