ISLAMABAD, Feb 22 (APP): Fertilizer imports into the country during the first 07 months of the current financial year decreased by 2.81 per cent as compared to the imports of the corresponding period of the last year.

During the period from July-January, 2023-24 over 990,686 metric tons of fertilizers cost $493.618 million imported as against the imports of 746,595 metric tons valued at $507.868 million of the same period of last year.

Meanwhile, the imports of insecticides decreased by 2.19 per cent as 20,996 metric tons of insecticides valued at $112.101 million were imported to fulfill local agriculture sector requirements as compared to the imports of 22,246 metric tons worth $114.522 million of the same period of last year.

During the period under review, the medicinal products worth 633.722 million also imported as compared the imports of $838.565 million of the same period last year.

During the period under review, the imports of medicinal products went down by 24.43 per cent as compared to the imports of the corresponding period of the last year.

In the last 07 months, the imports of agricultural and other chemicals into the country registered about a 12.82 per cent decrease as it came down from $5.826 billion to $5.079 billion during the period under review.

However, Tractor assembling in the country during the first two quarters of the current financial year increased by 67.21 per cent as to the output of the corresponding period of the last year.

During the period from July-December, 2023 about 23,695 tractors were locally assembled as compared to the assembling of 14,171 tractors of the same period of last year.

As compared to the corresponding month of the last year, tractor production in December 2023 grew by 141.43 per cent as 2,675 tractors were locally assembled as compared to the production of 1,108 tractors in the same month of the last year.