ISLAMABAD - Pakistan’s textile exports tumbled by $909 million during eleven months (July-May) of the outgoing financial year due to decline in cotton production and slowdown in economic growth of China.
The country exported textile made commodities worth $11.5 billion during July-May period of the fiscal year 2015-16 as against $12.4 billion of the corresponding months of the last year, showing a decline of 7.34 percent. The latest data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed that textile’s exports reduced by 3.53 percent to $1.07 billion during May 2016.
Exports of all major textile commodities witnessed reduction except readymade garments. Export of readymade garments registered increase of 4.24 percent. However, raw cotton export declined to $76 million during July-May period from $146.3 million of the same period of last fiscal year, reflecting a decline of 48.04 percent.
Export of cotton yarn declined to $1.17 billion from $1.73 billion, showing decrease of 32.05 percent. Similarly, cotton cloth export declined to $2.1 billion from $2.3 billion, denoting a 9.25 percent fall. Cotton carded or combed export reduced by 97.6 percent, yarn other than cotton yarn export dwindled by 23.92 percent to $30.7 million during July-May 2015-16 from $40.31 million of the previous year.
Knitwear export during the period under review decreased to $2.15 billion from $2.19 billion and bedwear’s export reduced to $1.86 billion from $1.93 billion. Similarly, exports of canvas & Tarpaulin, art, silk & synthetic textile and made-up articles (excluding towels bed-wear) also showed declined.
The country’s overall exports came down to $19.2 billion during July-May period of the year 2015-2016 from $21.9 billion of the corresponding months of previous year, registering a decline of 12.37 percent mainly due to the massive decline in textile exports.
According to the PBS figures, exports of food items reduced by 12.78 percent to $3.7 billion during July-May 2015-16.
The break-up of food group showed that following food commodities have recorded negative growth: rice 9.77 percent, fruits 4.03pc, wheat 90.31pc, oil seeds, nuts and kernels 57.73pc, sugar 56.82pc, and all other food commodities 18.19 percent during the period under review. However, spices recoded growth of 19.67 percent and meat and meat production 13.40 percent.
Meanwhile, exports of petroleum and coal products decreased by 75.32 percent, manufacturing products by 16.38 percent and leather manufacturing by 26.13 percent during July-May of the outgoing financial year.