ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s non-textile exports fell 6 per cent to $4.46 billion during the first seven months of the fiscal year, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported on Monday.

The Ministry of Commerce monitors the proceeds of around 45pc of total exports through policy interventions while the Ministry of Textile Industry looks after the rest of exports comprising textile and clothing products.

The commerce ministry has announced a series of initiatives in its Strategic Trade Policy Framework (2015-18) to promote exports of mainly non-textile products. However, not a single exporter has sought to avail the facility so far because of cumbersome procedures.

During the seven months under review, exports from textile and clothing sectors dropped 1.54pc. Product-wise details show a year-on-year decline of 7.47pc in the exports of petroleum products primarily beca­use of a 50.28pc drop in petroleum crude exports. However, exports of petroleum naphtha went up 1,944pc and those of petroleum products, excluding top naphtha, increased 31.31pc during the period.

Carpet and rug exports edged down 20.32pc in July-Jan while those of sports goods dipped 7.42pc. Foreign sales of footballs dropped 9.81pc.

Exports of tanned leather dropped 7.5pc in July-Jan year-on-year. Leather products’ exports declined 6.8pc during the period under review. Though exports of value-added leather products dropped in July-Jan, proceeds of leather gloves grew 5.95pc year-on-year.

Footwear exports dipped 8.51pc mainly on the back of a 4pc decline in the exports of leather footwear. This will be an area of concern for policymakers — the sector witnessed robust growth last year because of the preferential access to the European market under the GSP+ scheme.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2017