ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s exports of non-textile products dropped by 11.29 per cent year-on-year from $8.703 billion to $7.72bn during the first nine months (July-March) of this fiscal year, according to the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

Exports of these products have been in decline for the past few months, while the support package that the government announced for the sector in the latest budget has yet to be implemented.

During the entire fiscal year 2013-14, exports of non-textile products were $11.40bn, almost steady compared to $11.42bn a year earlier.

Product-wise details show that exports of petroleum products decreased by 10.98pc year-on-year during July-March, led by decline in petroleum naphtha exports. However, exports of petroleum crude rose by 100pc and petroleum products 21.65pc.

Carpets and rugs exports fell by 4.50pc and sports goods by 4.65pc. Foreign sales of footballs were also down by 7.49pc. However, exports of gloves went up by 2.76pc.

Exports of tanned leather slid by 5.55pc while that of leather products by 4.30pc during the period under review.

While exports of all value-added leather products slipped, exports of leather gloves grew by 7.56pc.

Footwear exports swelled by 15.80pc, mainly driven by 19.11pc increase in exports of leather footwear. This is the only sector which witnessed an impressive growth during the nine-month period.

Export of surgical goods and medical instruments went down by 0.35pc and engineering goods by 25.50pc.

Year-on-year export of gur was down by 12.27pc, cement 6.86pc, molasses 70.20pc, and jewellery 98.39pc. However, exports of furniture rose by 2.11pc and handicrafts by 445pc.

In the food basket, rice exports dropped by 5.84pc during July-March 2014-15. Exports of sugar, oil, wheat, tobacco, vegetables and leguminous vegetables also witnessed decline during the period.

By contrast, exports of spices rose 18.53pc and meat 2.96pc from a year ago.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2015

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