ISLAMABAD, July 28: Export of textile and clothing products rose to $10.757 billion in the year 2006-07 as against $10.218 billion over the last year, indicating a marginal increase of 5.27 per cent.

The slow growth in textile and clothing sector was recorded owing to decline in export of raw cotton, cotton cloth and bed wear during the year under review. However, the government had announced a relief package of subsidies for the sector to make their prices competitive in international market.

It has been observed that Pakistan offered the lowest unit price for its textile and clothing products even lesser than Bangladesh, India, China in international market during the year under review but despite this the growth in exports to these countries remained stagnant.

Another disturbing aspect is the massive decline in import of textile related machinery, which stood at $502.971 million during the year 2006-07 as against $817.240 million over the last year, indicating a negative growth of 38.45 per cent.

It showed that pace of modernisation of textile sector or enhancing the production capacity has been stagnated for the last couple of years. However, the core issue of diversification of products and reducing of the cost of doing business still remain un-resolved to make the manufactured products more competitive.

Detailed analysis of the commodities export released here on Saturday by Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) showed that export of readymade garments witnessed a growth of 5.32 per cent to $1.379 billion during the year 2006-07 as against $1.309 billion over the same period of the last year.

Statistics showed that export of knitwear also recorded a growth of 12.17 per cent during the year under review to $1.964 billion as against $1.751 billion over the same period of the last year. The export of cotton yarn reached $1.425 billion in the year 2006-07 as against $1.382 billion over the same year of last year, indicating a growth of 3.10 per cent.

The export of bed wear dipped by 3.90 per cent to $1.958 billion during the year as against $2.038 billion over the last year and cotton cloth by 4.30 per cent to $2.017 billion as against $2.108 billion over the last year.

A marginal growth of 1.25 per cent was recorded in export of towels to $595.012 million during this fiscal as against $587.641 million over the last year and 3.10 per cent in export of cotton yarn to $1.425 million as against $1.382 million during the year under review.

The export of raw cotton declined by 25.58 per cent to $50.720 million during the year as against $68.151 million over the last year. However, export of cotton carded increased by 24.33 per cent to $12.854 million as against $10.339 million; 82.92 per cent in yarn other than cotton yarn to $67.673m as against $36.996 million; 77.53 per cent in tents, canvas to $69.061 million as against $38.902 million; 114.55 per cent in art, silk and synthetic textile to $429.761 million as against $200.308 million; 13.4 per cent in madeup article to $473.893 million as against $417.877 million and other textile materials 16.53 per cent to $312.098 million as against $267.837 million.