ISLAMABAD, Jan 19: The export of textile products increased by 4.33 per cent to $5.318 billion during the first half year (July-Dec) of the fiscal 07 as against $5.097 billion over the same period of last year.

Official figures released here on Friday by Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) showed that export of almost all textile products excluding raw cotton, cotton cloth, bedwear and made ups recorded decline in growth during the July-December period of the current fiscal over the last year.

On monthly basis, the export of textile products witnessed more than 13.8 per cent growth in the month of December 2006 as it stood at $976.402 million as against $864.935 million over the same month of the last year.

This growth was particularly due to increasing export of raw cotton, knitwear, tents, art silk, synthetic products and readymade garments during the month under review over the last year month.

The upward trend in the export of the textile products since the month of November 2006, after the constant decline in exports in previous months, was the result of the cash subsidies announced by the government during the last months, which helped the exporters in marketing their products at lesser prices than those of Indian and Chinese products.

Another package of subsidies and support is in the pipeline lying with the prime minister secretariat to give further boost to exports from the sector. However, the core issue of diversification of products and reducing of the cost of doing business still remain unresolved to make the manufactured products more competitive.

The product-wise details of textile commodities showed that the export of readymade garments increased 2.49 per cent during the month of December 2006 of the current fiscal over last year.

Exports of cotton yarn and yarn other than cotton have increased by 9.66 per cent and 140.40 per cent, respectively. However, the export of raw cotton, cotton cloth and cotton carded declined by 23.53 per cent, 10.50 per cent and 43.14 per cent during the month under review over the same month of last year.

Knitwear, tents and towels exports were up by 13.29 per cent, 206.13 per cent and 4.63 per cent, respectively, during the month over the same month last year. The export of made-ups, including other textiles, declined by 6.87 per cent, bedwear by 6.41 per cent. The export of other textile materials was up by 23.97 per cent during December 2006, over the same month last year.