ISLAMABAD, Aug 29: Export of textile products went up by 8.47 per cent during the first month of the current fiscal year to $951.937 million as against $877.635 million over the same month of last year.

This unprecedented growth in textile and clothing exports has pushed up overall export proceeds to $1.485 billion in July 2007 as against $1.342m over the same month last year, indicating a growth of 10.73 per cent.

The average per month growth in textile products was around five per cent during the whole year of 2006-07. However, total export growth remained less than four per cent during the same year.

Analysts said in case the same momentum of growth in textile and clothing is maintained during upcoming months, export target of $19.2 billion could be easily achieved.

However, it depends on exporters capabilities to market their products in a better way rather than selling their products at cheaper rate even from those coming from Bangladesh, India and China in the international market.

The product-wise details showed that export of almost all products, excluding cotton cloth, bedwear, towels and tents recorded a substantial growth during the first month of the current fiscal year over last year.

Official figures released here by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) showed that export of readymade garments witnessed a growth of 5.10pc to $125.816m in July of the current fiscal year as against $119.714 million over the same month last year.

Statistics showed that export of knitwear also recorded a growth of 17.07 per cent during the month under review to $203.137 million as against $173.518m over the same month last year.

Export of raw cotton, cotton yarn, cotton carded and yarn other than cotton yarn recorded a growth by 165.68 per cent, 8.58 per cent, 0.74 per cent and 42.18 per cent, respectively, during the month of July over the same month last year.

Export of cotton cloth and tents dipped by 8.01pc, bedwear 17.75pc, towels 14.31pc, tents, canvas 21.78pc during the month under review over last year.

The statistics showed that export of art, silk and synthetic textile up by 324.92 per cent, made up articles 58.18 per cent and other textile material 112.34 per cent during the month of July over the same month last year.