KARACHI – The group-wise exports of Pakistan have significantly increased during July to December 2010, as the textile sector boosted by 25.8 percent, while the food group recorded a 6.2 percent growth compared to the same period in last fiscal year. According to sources, the country’s textile and clothing export during the six months of this financial year stood at $6324.247 million compared to $5027.032 million achieved during the corresponding period of 2009-2010, an increase of 25.8 percent.
Analysis by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) show that knitwear and cotton cloth were the largest export items, exhibiting exports of over $1.0 billion. Bed wear, cotton yarn and readymade garments also made their mark, showing significant exports. The top five export items were from the textile group, contributing 45 percent to the total exports.
Export commodities, whose export was over $300 million, include rice, rice basmati, towel, art silk and petroleum products. The top 10 exported items constitute 63 percent of the total exports.
Imports also augmented in the second half of 2010, as raw materials import showed a massive jump. Imports in December, 2010 stood at $3.75 billion, 29 percent higher than the imports in December, 2009. Imports aggregated to $19.13 billion in July-December, 2010 compared to $15.99 billion in the same period last year, a rise of 19.58 percent.
Petroleum products were also among the top importing products followed by crude petroleum. Imports of the above mentioned commodities were over $1.0 billion respectively.
In addition, palm oil, machineries, plastic materials, sugar, food items, iron and power generating machineries showed high imports. Sugar import increased by almost 3.5 times, while import of power generating machinery dwindled 34 percent. Pakistan has achieved the highest ever monthly exports of $2.127 billion in December 2010.
