ISLAMABAD, June 29: The government will announce new schemes in the trade policy for the export of surgical, sports and leather goods. An official in the commerce ministry told Dawn on Wednesday that the schemes besides other measures would incorporate the zero rating of sales tax, customs duty announced in the budget 2005-06 on these products.

The commerce ministry has received proposals from the stakeholders for the export facilitation of these products, which would be announced in the trade policy in 2005-06, the official said.

The export of surgical goods and instrument registered 37.26 per cent increase in July-May this year to $162.433 billion as against $118.340 million during the same period of last year.

The official said the export of sports goods was down by 3.15 per cent to $278.327m during the period under review as against $287.374 million during the same period of the last year. Of these, export of footballs increased by 18 per cent during the period under review. However, export of gloves and other products declined by 17.50 per cent and 42.15 per cent, respectively.

The export of leather products was up by 20.34 per cent to $448.055 million during the July-May period this year as against $372.328 million over the same period of the last year.

Of these, export of leather garments was declined by 6.67 per cent during the period under review. While the export of leather gloves increased by 133.67pc during the same period.