KARACHI, March 8: The September 11 terror attack on the US and the subsequent war against Afghanistan had no immediate impact on Pakistan’s exports to the US. But exporters fear that at the end of the fiscal year they would earn lesser from the US market than in the past.

Pakistan’s exports to the US in the first half of this fiscal year stood at $1.116 billion down slightly from $1.125 billion a year-ago. But officials of Export Promotion Bureau and exporters say overall export to the US may record a slight decrease during this fiscal year than in the past.

“Our export to the US did not fall in the first half of this fiscal year as most of the export orders (executed in the second quarter) had been contracted before September 11,” said former chairman of SITE Association of Industry Majyd Aziz. “But we may end up with a little lesser export to the US during the current fiscal year than in 2000-01.” A senior official of EPB also said that Pakistan’s exports to the US may record a slight decline in fiscal 2001-02.

Exporters say many foreign buyers including those from the US had suspended buying orders immediately after the September 11 terror attack on New York and Washington. “Some buyers had the audacity of asking the exporters to revise downwards the prices that had already been negotiated and settled,” said Majyd Aziz.

The situation improved after some time as deferred demand in the US markets raised its head forcing the importers to restart imports from Pakistan. Christmas also set in motion a cycle of business activity in the US—as in the rest of the world—thus crash-opening a nearly chocked supply-line of Pakistan’s exports.

Latest EPB statistics show that several categories of items exported to the US recorded an increase in July-December 2001. On top of them was bedwear that fetched $136 million from the US buyers in the first half of this fiscal year up from $99 million a year ago. Cotton fabrics and textile madeups also brought to the state coffers $104 million each in July-December 2001 up from $96 million and $101 million respectively in July- December 200.

The statistics show that export of towels rose to $65 million from $54 million whereas export of surgical instruments went up to $24 million from about $22 million.

Other items whose exports to the US showed a rise in the first half of this fiscal year include (i) fish & fish products (ii) leather garments (iii) rice (iv) guar products (v) handicrafts (vi) leather (vii) chemical products and (viii) fruits & vegetables. During the period under review a new item—molasses— was added to the list of goods exported to the US though export of this item fetched only $1.3 million.

“I foresee an upsurge in export of such items in April-June quarter,” said Majyd Aziz though he believed that overall export to the US may slightly fall in 2001-02.

The list of the items whose export to the US recorded a fall in the first half of this fiscal year is not long but the total amount involved ($615 million) is higher than the combined worth ($500 million) of all the items whose exports showed an increase.

On top of the list is knitwear whose exports fell to about $275 million in July-December 2001 from $289 million a year ago.

Export of readymade garments to the US also declined to $168 million from $193 million whereas carpet exports fell to around $41 million from a little less than $54 million. The export of apparel and clothes of leather fetched about $37 million in July- December 2001 against $41 million in the same period of 2000.

Export of cotton yarn and sports goods to the US earned about $27 million and $25 million respectively in the first half of this fiscal year—down from $38 million and $31 million in a year -ago period. Other items whose exports to the United States fell in July-December 2001 as compared to July-December 2000 included (i) artsilk and synthetic textiles (ii) cutlery (iii) jewellry (iv) cotton bags (v) onyx manufactures and embroidery.