The exports of textiles and apparel from Pakistan grew by 6.02 percent to US$ 5.684 billion during the first five months of the current fiscal year 2013-14, as compared to exports of US$ 5.361 billion made during the corresponding period last year, figures released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) showed.

 

While most of the categories showed improvement, cotton yarn, cotton carded or combed, yarn other than cotton yarn, towels, and tents, canvas & tarpaulin exports from Pakistan declined during July-November 2013 period.

 

The highest growth was seen in export of raw cotton, which increased by 63.09 percent year-on-year to US$ 111.973 million during the five-month period, followed by bed wear which grew by 20.37 percent, the data showed.

 

In terms of value, cotton cloth earned US$ 1.138 billion for Pakistan in foreign exchange during the period under review, followed by knitwear, cotton yarn, bed wear and non-knitted readymade garments which fetched, US$ 919.830 million, US$ 895.849 million, US$ 882.061 million and US$ 759.449 million respectively.

 

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s textile imports declined slightly by 0.31 percent year-on-year to US$ 883.033 million during July-November 2013 period. However, the imports of raw cotton witnessed a sharp 38.97 percent year-on-year decline and were valued at US$ 118.764 million.

 

In November 2013, Pakistan exported textiles and clothing worth US$ 1.008 billion, while it imported goods valued at US$ 181.387 million.

 

During last fiscal year which ended on June 30, 2013, textile and clothing exports from Pakistan grew by 5.9 percent to US$ 13.06 billion from US$ 12.34 billion in 2011-12.