ISLAMABAD, July 9: The contribution of manufactured and semi- manufactured goods in exports rose to 91.24 per cent in 2001-02, as compared to 89.68 per cent during the preceding year, according to an analysis of foreign trade data released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics here on Tuesday.

Foreign exchange earnings from manufactured goods exports stood at $8.32 billion out of the total exports figure of $9.12 billion.

This was accounted for by textile manufactures exports ($5.80 billion) to the extent of 69.71 per cent. Although 0.69 per cent more than during the preceding year, the figures reinforce the fact that the textile industry—the mainstay of our exports—has yet to outgrow its stagnation. This is quite clear from the fact that in 2000-01, the share of textile manufactures in total exports was slightly higher — 69.82 per cent.

Cotton cloth retained its position as the No. 1 export item among textile manufactures. Its exports totalled $1.96 billion, 9.70 per cent more than in 2000-01. But the quantity of cotton cloth exported during the year under review was even higher — 12.76 per cent.

The next biggest export item was cotton yarn. Quantitatively, its export (5,44,217 tons) was lower by 0.17 per cent, but in terms of dollars, there was a loss of 12.22 per cent. The foreign exchange it fetched amounted to $942.35 million.

The decline in unit price is evidently a well-established feature of foreign trade, as the analysis of figure shows.

By contrast, value-added textile manufactures showed a mixed trend. Among these, exports of knitwear, tents, canvas and tarpaulin and art. silk & synthetic textile declined by 7.66 per cent, 3.59 per cent and 24.81 per cent respectively.

However, the items whose exports surged significantly during 2001-02 were: bedwear (23.31pc), towels (11.64pc), readymade garments (6.68pc) and madeup articles (6.19pc).

Stagnation was the characteristic of other manufactures as well. This category constitutes mostly high value-added items. Their exports (at $1.84 billion) registered a decline of 2 per cent, as compared to previous year. Likewise, their share in total exports also declined to 22.24 per cent, as against 22.91 per cent in 2000-01.

In this category, major categories manifested mixed trend. Exports of sports goods ($295.12 million), our traditional export industry, surged by 9.07 per cent with footballs in the lead.

Engineering goods exports ($48.86 million) went up by 0.71 per cent.

Leather manufactures, leading all the groups among manufactures though, lagged with 13.05 per cent drop in their exports.

Others, while maintaining their momentum, increased their exports by 11.45 per cent. As a result, their contribution to total exports edged up to 8.17 per cent, as against 7.39 per cent in 2000-01.

Among Primary Commodities whose exports ($799.43 million) declined by 15.79 per cent, rice remained on top. The country exported 16,454,618 tons, down 28.32 per cent from previous year. Due to higher export of basmati, the decline in foreign exchange earnings was, however, contained to 16.02 per cent.

The quantity of raw cotton exported in 2001-02 was 34,926 tons — down 74.15 per cent from previous year. A significant feature of foreign trade this year was the massive export (6,01,879 tons) of wheat as against 80,498 tons exported last year.