November 04, 2006	Saturday	Shawwal 11, 1427

ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: Pakistan’s exports of traditional products — carpets, sports, surgical, engineering, and footwear have recorded more than 30 per cent decline during the first quarter (July-September) of the fiscal year 2006-07 over the same period last year.

Official figures available with Dawn showed that the export of cutlery, gems, jewellery, furniture, molasses, handicrafts and cement also dipped during the period under review over the same period of last year.

The decline in export of these products has yet to be explored despite the fact that most of the sectors enjoy exemption from customs duty and sales tax on import of machinery, raw materials and utilities.

Ironically, the government was only approving package after package for the textile tycoons but they have neglected these traditional sectors, which were facing tough competition from China, and India etc in international market.

The statistics, however, indicated that in absolute term, the export of non-textile products registered an increase of 27.89 per cent during the July-Sept of 2006 to $1.82 billion as against $1.423 billion over the same period of the last year.

The increase in the over-all export proceeds of non-textile products during the months under review was due to a growth of more than 12 per cent in export of primary commodities mostly rice.

An economist told Dawn on condition of anonymity that the government was only focusing on international trade, while neglecting measures to promote domestic commerce. He said on the pretext of promoting international trade, the government officers were visiting various countries to explore market access despite the fact that “we did not have any surplus production and diversification.”

He was of the opinion that for promoting domestic commerce, the officers will have to go to grass-root level for meeting producers, transporters and manufactures in far-flung areas for knowing their problems for resolution.

The economist further said that it was nice to go on a pleasure trip to a foreign country rather to go to any far-flung area in the country as nobody was ready for it. Until the domestic commerce is improved, the export would further decline in the months ahead, said the economist.

The statistics showed that among the primary commodities, exports of all kinds of rice rose by 73.01 per cent and meat and meat preparations by 24.84 per cent. However, exports of fruits declined by 44.78 per cent, vegetable dipped by 52.51 per cent, tobacco by 43.01 per cent, fish and fish foods 0.42 per cent, spices 33.95 per cent, and oilseeds by 30.15 per cent during July-Sept 2006 over last year.

Official figures showed that the export of sports goods (football and gloves) declined by 37.35 per cent; carpets, rugs and mats by 41.91 per cent; and leather goods (garments and gloves) by 42.69 per cent during the months under review over last year.

The export of footwear declined by 36.20 per cent during the July-Sept 2006 over the last year; engineering goods 27.10 per cent; auto parts 43.60 per cent, gems 63.55 per cent, jewellery 69.42 per cent, molasses 30.98 per cent, handicraft 11.22 per cent and cement 21.43 per cent during the same period under review.