ISLAMABAD – The exports in textile and clothing group recorded a marginal growth of 0.06 percent during first half fiscal year 2018-19 against the same period of the preceding year.
The textile group’s exports from the country increased to $6.646 billion during July-December (2018-19) against the exports worth of $6.641billion recorded during July-December (2017-18), according to the latest data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The products that contributed in positive growth in external trade included knitwear, the exports of which grew by 10.51 percent by going up from $1.334 billion last year to $1.474 billion during the corresponding period of the current fiscal year.
Similarly, bed wear export also increased by 3.27 percent to $1.61billion in July-December (2018-19) from $1.124 billion in the same period of the year 2017-18, while the export of yarn (other than cotton yarn) increased from $14.78 million to $14.813 million, an increase of 0.22 percent.
During the period under review, export of made up articles (excluding towels) also rose to $343.292 million in the first half of the fiscal year 2018-19 to $337.996 million in the same period of last year, showing an increase of 1.57 percent.
The export of ready-made garments increased by 0.89 percent by growing from $1.249 billion to $1.26 billion in July-December (2018-19).
Meanwhile, the textile products that witnessed negative growth in trade included raw cotton, the export of which declined by 73.62 percent, from $53.304 million in H1 of FY18 to $14.062 million in same period of current fiscal year while the exports of cotton yarn decreased by 17.14 percent to $548.162 million from $661.513 million in the period under review.
Cotton cloth’s export also went down by 1.34 percent to $1.052 billion in Jul-Dec (2018-19) from $1.066 billion in the same period of last year, whereas the towel export recorded a negative growth of 2.03 percent as it declined to $378 million from $385.839 million in the same period of last year.
On the yearly and monthly basis, the textile exports also increased by 0.68 percent and 3.59 percent in December 2018 when compared to the exports recorded during December 2017 and November 22018 respectively.
During December 2018, the textile exports recorded $1.139 billion compared to the exports worth of $1.137 billion in December 2017 and $1.1 billion in November 2018.
