Exports of goods from the country grew for the eleventh continuous month in July 2017 to $ 22.54 billion but the rate of growth slackened further to 3.94 per cent. This was due to a fall in exports across some major sectors including gems & jewellery, ready-made garments and pharmaceuticals experienced fall in out-bound shipments.

Imports, in July 2017, posted an increase of 15.42 per cent to $ 33.99 billion with rise in gold, petroleum, pearls and precious stones, machinery and iron and steel, according to an official release from the Commerce & Industry Ministry.

Trade deficit widened to $11.44 billion during the month compared to $ 7.76 billion in July 2016.

Total exports in the period April-July 2017-18 posted an increase of 8.91 per cent to $ 94.756 billion compared to $87 billion in the same period last year.

Imports, in the first four months of the fiscal, grew 28.30 per cent to$146.25 billion as against the comparable period in the previous fiscal.

Trade deficit in the April-July 2017-18 period nearly doubled to $ 51.5 billion compared to $ 26.99 billion in the same period last fiscal.