March 25, 2007	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 5, 1428

ISLAMABAD, March 24: Export of textile products recorded a marginal growth of 5.36 per cent to $10.098 billion during the second year of the post- quota-free regime (Jan-2006 to Jan-2007) as against $9.584 billion over the same period a year back.

Official figures indicated that in the first year of the post-quota regime (Jan-2005 to Jan-2006), the export of textile-related products witnessed an impressive growth of 18.99 per cent to $9.584 billion as against $8.054 billion in the same period a year ago.

After the demise of the agreement on textiles and clothing, effective Jan 1, 2005, there are no more quotas governing international trade in textiles and clothing, hence most of the protected markets in the US and EU have opened up now.

The decline in growth quantum of export of textile products occurred despite the fact that the government had announced a six per cent subsidy, and taxation measures for the textile sector to make its products more competitive with those coming from China and India.

Analysts said though the impact of all these measures was not visible from the export figures because it only helped depress price of Pakistani commodities in the international market. There is a need to revisit these support packages made available to the sector to make its use more profitable rather to subsidise purchases of the rich countries consumers.

Statistics showed that export of readymade garments registered a growth of 70 per cent during the second year of the post-quota regime to $1.336 billion as against $0.784 billion during the same period a year ago.

This showed that export of readymade garments started picking up in the second year of the post-quota regime.

The readymade garments recorded a negative trend in the first year of the post-quota regime.

The export of knitwear rose by 13.55 per cent to $1.851 billion during the second year of the post- quota regime as against $1.630 billion over a year ago.

The knitwear export declined by 1.67 per cent during the first year of the post-quota regime.

The export of bedwear stood at $1.939 billion during the second year of the post-quota regime as against $1.872 billion in the same period a year ago, showing an

increase of 3.57 per cent. However, this growth was in the range of more than 45.44 per cent in the first year of the regime.

Towel export rose by 11.3 per cent to $612.867 million as against $550.454 million. This growth was around 30 per cent in export of towels in the first year of the post quota regime.

Cotton cloth export dipped by 7.89 per cent to $2.029 billion as against $2.203 billion during the period under review.

However, the first year of the post-quota regime witnessed 24.74 per cent growth.

The export of made-up articles also declined 5.12 per cent during the period under review to $426.447 million as against $449.496 million during the same period a year back.

Export of cotton yarn rose by 18.5 per cent to $1.485 billion as against $1.253 billion a year ago. This is growth of around 15 per cent in the first year of the new regime.

However, the export of tent, canvas and tarpaulin witnessed an impressive growth of 30.99 per cent to $65.256 million as against $49.814 million in the previous year. The export of these products recorded a negative growth in the first year of the post-quota regime.

Similarly, export of art, silk and synthetic textile was up by 36.2 per cent to $326.063 million as against $239.312 million a year ago. The export of these commodities has also witnessed a negative growth of 29.76 per cent in the first year of the post-quota regime.