ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s export of textile and clothing witnessed a growth of over five per cent in the outgoing fiscal year (2012-13) from a year ago.

This marginal increase in exports is the outcome of temporary improvement in supply of gas to the sectors in the last quarter of the outgoing fiscal year.

A slight improvement in demand from Pakistan’s key markets of Europe and US also led to improvement in export proceeds from these sectors.

In absolute terms, export proceeds of textile and clothing reached $13.064 billion in 2012-13 from $12.336bn over the previous year, suggested data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics issued on Friday.

In 2011-12, export of textile and clothing had witnessed a 10 per cent decline over the previous year. The export proceeds from the sectors were $13.788 billion during 2011-12, the second highest export figures in the country’s history.

In 2009-10, export of textile and clothing crossed the $14 billion mark. Since then a downward trend is being noticed.

Overall increase in exports was the outcome of continued rise in export of these products since September 2012 owing to a slight surge in demand from Europe and US.

The overall growth is also driven by increase in exports to European market following a preferential market on 75 products.

The products, which accelerated growth, are mainly driven by substantial increase in export proceeds of ready-made garments, towels and other low value products, such as cotton yarn and cotton cloth, but export of raw cotton witnessed a decline in the last few months over the previous year.

The increase in export of textile and clothing sectors resulted in overall growth of exports of the country by 3.77pc to $24.515bn in July-June period this year as against $23.624bn in the corresponding period of last year.

A sector-wise analysis showed that export of ready-made garments went up by 12.32pc, knitwear 2.51pc, bed wear 2.401pc and towels 13.02pc in 2012-13 over the corresponding period of last year.

Export of low value-added products, such as cotton yarn was up by 23.97pc, cotton cloth 10.17pc, yarn other than cotton yarn 10.84pc, made-up articles 0.05pc and other textile material 25.56pc in July-June 2013 over the last year.

Industry sources said that consistent supply of gas to textile sector during the period produced the desired results.

The production of textile industries also witnessed growth in the last quarters.

In 2012-13, no major expansion was carried out in the textile sector because more than 10 per cent negative growth was witnessed in import of textile machinery in the outgoing fiscal year 2012-13.

The growth in yarn and fabric exports was mainly because of improved energy supply.

The full capacity utilisation of production caused growth in export of home textile – towels and bed-wear as well.

Statistics show that exports of raw cotton declined by 66.71pc, cotton carded 46.75pc, art and silk 25.65pc, respectively during the July-June 2013 period this year over last year.