ISLAMABAD - The exports of textile products have declined by 9.55pc during the first eleven months (July-May) of the current financial year 2008-09, apparently due to acute energy outages, weak security environment and tight monetary policy. According to the data released by Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) here on Monday, the exports of textiles group declined to $8.724b in July-May period against $9.645b of the same period of the last fiscal year. According to a trade analyst, it is impossible to achieve the annual export target of $11b set for textile sector for the outgoing fiscal year. He was of the view that main contributors to the decline of textile sector were severe energy shortages, deteriorating law and order situation, sharp depreciation in rupee versus US dollar and, most importantly, weak external demand in the wake of global recession coupled with slowdown in domestic demand. The figures indicate that trade deficit of the country narrowed up to $15.22b in July-May against the imbalance of $18.80b in the same period of the last fiscal year. The figures reflected that the country exported goods worth $16.26b as against imports of $31.48b during the period under review. The textile industry has been the main driver of the export-based industry for the last 50 years in terms of foreign currency earnings and jobs creation but it has been badly hit by power shortages and gas loadshedding from the last couple of years. The break-up of textile group shows that export of raw cotton increased by 27.74pc, cotton (corded), 17.71pc, and towels, 2.87pc, during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year. However, the export of cotton yarn declined by 15.95pc, cotton cloth, 2.44pc, yarn, 49.33pc, knitwear, 0.86pc, bed wear, 10.59pc, tents, 16.83pc, readymade garments, 22.07pc, art silk (synthetic textile), 23.71pc, made-up articles, 8pc, and other textile materials have come down by 17.41pc during the said months. The figures said the overall textile products declined by over 12.11pc in May 2009 over the corresponding period of the last year. On the other hand, due to downturn in the textile sector, the import of the textiles machinery also declined by 51.67pc in July-May. Meanwhile, details of the traditional products showed that export of food group went up by 12.65pc. Among these exports, rice went up by 17.86pc during July-May 2008-09, which is $2.776b as against $2.465b over the last year. In the rice group, the export of basmati went up by 7.53pc and others surged by 31.69pc. While the exports of fish products increased by 14.20pc, fruits, 6.55pc, vegetables, 26.63pc, leguminous vegetable (pulses), 82.91pc, tobacco, 92.23pc, wheat, 837.72pc, spices 17.24pc, oil seeds nuts and kernels, 9.72pc, and meat 2.57pc. While the export of sugar declined by 89.60pc and all other food items decreased by 2.57pc during the period under review. Export of footwear went up by 9.15pc, engineering goods, 32.03pc, cement, 45.45pc, molasses, 97.77, and other items by 16.95pc during the said period. On the other hand, the imports of food commodities decreased by 4.02pc in the eleven months of current year as they were recorded at $3.707b against $3.872b of the last year. Due to prevailing power crisis, the greater demand of power generating machinery enhanced by 55.98pc in the period under review. The imports of power generating machinery are $1.561b in (July-May) against $1.001b for the same period of the corresponding year. The import of transport sector showed negative growth of 45.94pc in the period under review. In the transport group, import of road motor vehicles declined by 32.26pc, CBU, 62.24pc, buses, trucks and other heavy vehicles, 59.30pc, motor cycles, 63.2pc and motorcars, 92.29pc.