ISLAMABAD, April 29: The export of readymade garments increased by 30.97 per cent during the first nine months of the current fiscal year over the same period of last year.

Official figures available with Dawn indicated that in absolute terms, the value of readymade garments exports increased to $1.002 billion during the period under review as against $0.765 billion over the same period of last year.

On monthly basis, the growth recorded in the export of readymade garments stood at 6 per cent in March 2006 over the same month of the last year.

Further analysis showed that the export of total textile products rose by 19.21 per cent to $7.201 billion during July-March this year as against $6.04 billion over the same period of the last year.

Of these export of cotton yarn increased by 29.40 per cent to $983.479 million against $760.044 million earlier.

The export of cotton cloth was up by 16.48 per cent to $1.556 billion during the nine months as against $1.336 million earlier over the same period of last year. Export of knitwear increased by 4.32 per cent to $1.269 billion as against $1.217 million.

According to the statistics, export of bed wear rose by 58.44 per cent to $1.494 billion during the nine months of the current fiscal year as against $0.943 million over last year; export of towel increased by 11.97 per cent to $421.108 million as against $376.084 million.

However, the export of made ups including other textile decreased by 13.52 per cent to $309.243 million during the July-March period this year as against $357.601 million over the last year; art silk and synthetic textile declined by 36.96 per cent to $146.275 million as against $232.025 million last year and tents, canvas and tarpaulin by 65.15 per cent to $18.619 million as against $53.423 million last year.