July 04, 2007	Wednesday	Jamadi-us-Sani 18, 1428

ISLAMABAD, July 3: Pakistan's exports to Switzerland decreased by 25.59 per cent to reach 4.7 million CHF in May 2007, compared with the same month last year, official figures said.

The figures showed that despite this setback for first five months (January-May) in 2007, exports to Switzerland actually increased by nearly two per cent to 26.5 million CHF compared with the same period last year.

The major items contributing to this increase were ethanol which increased by 6.82 per cent to 3.2 million, carpets 20.55 per cent to 1.3 million CHF, cotton 124.32 per cent to 764,000 CHF, guar gum 183.37 per cent to 531,000 CHF, and surgical instruments 71.15 per cent to 370,000 CHF.

Textiles showed only a modest increase by 37 per cent to 15.3 million CHF due to continued pressure from China, India, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Indonesia.

Although value of exports to Switzerland is still relatively low (388,600 Swiss Francs), Pakistani footwear products continued their slow but steady penetration with an increase of 4.33 per cent.

Many items dropped during 2007, some quite significantly due to strong international competition. Dried mushrooms, which had grown significantly in 2006, registered a drop of 23.33 per cent to 1.5 million CHF.

However, season for mushrooms is not here yet, so this export item may well do just as good in 2007. Sports goods registered the largest decrease of 52.22 per cent to 530,000 CHF.

Other items that decreased were leather products--4.64 per cent to 1.1 million CHF and rice 5.44 per cent to 428,000 CHF.

Pakistani imports from Switzerland increased for the period January-May 2007 compared with 2006, showing a rise of 15.92 per cent to 106 million CHF.