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ISLAMABAD, Nov 11: Exports of finished products rose to approximately $3.19 billion during the four-month period July- October 2002, denoting an increase of 15.16 per cent over the corresponding period of previous year.
Their share in total exports ($3.47 billion) also edged up to 91.65pc as against 91.41pc during the same period of previous year, according to an analysis of provisional foreign trade figures released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics here on Monday.
About 69.9 per cent of finished product exports were accounted for by textile manufactures. In spite of a growth rate of 14.86 per cent over previous year, their share in finished goods exports indicated a decline of 0.38 per cent. When considered against total exports too, textile manufactures’ contribution (64.11pc) to overall exports declined by 0.8 per cent.
The exports of textile manufactures stood at $2.23 billion. This was accounted for by cotton yarn and cotton cloth to the extent of over 34 per cent. But experts believe that their exports constitute a loss to national economy because they represent negative value-addition. What is more, by exporting them, we help our competitors (China, Bangladesh, etc.).
In terms of dollars, cotton yarn registered much lower growth rate—3.28 per cent— while cotton cloth exports worth $431.75 million recorded 29.71 per cent increase.
The quantity of knitwear exported during the period under review was up by 19.80pc but the accretion in dollars ($364.35 million) was much lower, that is, 14.02pc.
But the items which fetched higher unit value were: bedwear, towels, readymade garments, and art. Silk & synthetic textile. Out of these, exports of bedwear and towels increased in quantity, while readymade garments and art. Silk, etc., declined.
OTHER MANUFACTURES: Their exports totalled $610.09 million, denoting a decline of 1.84pc (dollars). Their share in total exports too dropped by 4.40pc to 16.15pc, compared to corresponding period of previous year. In this broad category, sports goods registered a growth rate of 19.94pc (dollars).
This was, however, attributable solely to 47pc jump in exports of miscellaneous sports goods, while exports of footballs and gloves declined.
Leather manufactures, with exports $133.18 million, declined by about 17pc, reducing their share in ‘other manufactures’ exports by about 4pc to 21.83pc.
Footwear exports, however, increased by 28.92pc to $17.21 million.
However, engineering goods increased their exports by 22pc to $18.1 million. As a result, their share in ‘other manufactures’ improved to 2.97pc, as against 2.38pc during the period July- October, 2001.
PRIMARY COMMODITIES: This category increased its exports ($290.32 million), that is, 11.80pc more than last year. In this category, the rice remained the top earner of foreign exchange with exports worth $488.50 million.
This is 3.24pc below the foreign exchange earnings of corresponding period. The quantity of rice exported during the period under review was 384,562 tons, down 21.29pc from previous year.
The country exported 24,214 tons of raw cotton, despite reported shortfall in output this year and that too at a lower unit price in a year when the global cotton output is expected to be lower than the previous year. Thus, while in quantity, export of raw cotton has surpassed that of last year by over 497pc, the value registered an increase of only 385pc.
