ISLAMABAD – Exports of textile and food groups have registered considerable growth during the first eight months of the current year, surging by 28.67 percent and 18.28 percent respectively.
Textile exports, during July-February (2010-11), were recorded at $8.637 billion against exports of $6.708 billion in the same period last year, Federal Bureau of Statistics reported. Similarly, food exports augmented during the period under review and stood at $2.465 billion compared to $2.084 billion last year.
Products, contributing to the positive growth in overall textile sector, included raw cotton, cotton yarn and cotton cloth; exports of which increased by 12.97 percent, 45.30 percent and 33 percent respectively.
Exports of cotton (carded or combed), yarn (other than cotton yarn), knit wear, towels, bed wear, readymade garments, art, silk and synthetic textile, made up articles and other textile materials increased by 18.93, 15.36, 26.63, 16.68, 6.40, 33.67, 64.17, 18.63 and 39.58 percent during the period under review.
The only export product, exhibiting negative growth in exports during the period was tents and canvas, exports of which dwindled 38.26 percent.
Among the food group, exports of fish and fish preparations increased by 27.76 percent, fruits by 1.21 percent, vegetables by 49.42 percent, leguminous vegetables (pulses) by 470 percent, tobacco by 178.6 percent, wheat by 35,775 percent, spices by 14.73 percent, meat and meat preparations by 51.49 percent while exports of all other food items increased by 30.79 percent.
Food items, posting negative growth in exports included rice and oil, seeds, nuts and kernels; exports of which declined by 0.07 percent and 34.44 percent respectively. Meanwhile, textile exports underwent an increase of 50.82 percent and 0.70 percent in February, 2011 compared to exports of February 2010 and January 2011, respectively.
