Pakistan”s import of pulses hit $433.436 million in fiscal year 2011-12 which is higher by 8 percent or $30.317 million because the weather effects shortened the crops yield nearly 65 percent, importers said Friday. “Severe weather hit the country”s pulses crops and only 35 percent production could hardly be managed,” a leading pulses importer, Haji Majeed told Business Recorder.
He said drought spell kept the pulses crops undersized, adding that chana crops were the most affected mainly because of lack of irrigation in March-April period. The country imported pulses worth $433.436 million in 2011-12 as compared to the commodity”s import of $403.119 million in fiscal year 2010-11, showing an increase of 7.52 percent or $30.317 million, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. In terms of quantity, pulses import surged 5 percent or 298,640 metric tons in fiscal year 2011-12 to 667,231 metric tons as compared to the commodity”s import of 637,367 metric tons in fiscal year 2010-11, the statistics indicated.
Haji Majeed said the country”s import of pulses dependence is mainly on Australia, Canada, Burma, Tanzania and Ethiopia. Importers earlier had estimated that the country will have to import 80 percent of pulses after the winter frost hit crops in the country, followed by a dry spell of drought, leaving the yield nearly ravaged. They said the nation consumes 0.6 million metric tonnes of pulses every year while this year the country will have to import the commodity as around 80 percent of the local crop failed to yield.
The country”s import of pulses remained 72.48 percent or $23.406 million higher during June 2011-12 to $55.698 million as compared to the commodity”s import of $32.292 million in June 2011, the statistics show. Haji Majeed said, “now there is no further need to import the commodity to satisfy the local demand because the product has been imported in a sufficient volume.” The country”s import of pulses in terms of volume remained also higher by 69 percent or 2,302 metric tons in June 2011-12 to 83,615 metric tons as compared to the commodity”s import of 81,313 metric tons in June 2011, statistics said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2012
