ISLAMABAD, Aug 13 Asia Pulse - The growth in the imports of five majorgroups raised the import bill by 37.24 per cent to US$1.372 billion duringthe first month of 2004-05, as against $0.999 billion during the samemonth of last year.

Food group imports increased by 21.86 per cent, machinery group (25.56 percent), petroleum group (41.42 per cent), metal group (18.74 per cent) andagricultural and other chemical group (9.62 per cent) during the monthunder review over the same month of the last year.

The statistics further revealed that in the food group - imports of milk,cream and milk food for infants increased by 84.19 per cent, dry fruits(415.66 per cent), tea (5.98 per cent), spices (48.16 per cent), palm oil(15.9 per cent), soyabean oil (335.35 per cent) and pulses (60 per cent)during the month of July 2004 over the same month last year. Declines wereobserved only in the import of sugar (59.47 per cent) during the periodunder review.

(PPI)