ISLAMABAD, Sept 19: Pakistan’s textile and clothing exports fell marginally by 1.50 per cent to $2.164 billion in the first two months of the current fiscal year from $2.196 billion in the same period a year ago, according to data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday.

However cotton yarn, cotton cloth, other yarn, towels, tents and ready-made garments witnessed positive growth while the rest in textile and clothing sector had negative growth, suggested data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

This also led to a decline of 3.27 per cent in the country’s exports to $3.968 billion in July-August period from $4.102 billion over the corresponding period last year.

President All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Mohsin Aziz told Dawn that the growth recorded in cotton yarn, cotton cloth etc was mainly due to un-interrupted supply of gas to the units.

He said that these textile units got gas for five consecutive days in a week, which helped in increasing production and electricity load shedding had also reduced to 12 hours a week.

Aziz said that the demand for textile products had also improved slightly in the international market.

At the same time, there was 11.51 per cent growth in import of machinery in the value-added sector to increase the quality and capacity of production which indicates that local manufacturers were expanding their production capacity.

Product-wise details showed that export of cotton yarn increased 38.38 per cent, followed by 1.18 per cent in cotton cloth, 1.82 per cent in yarn other than cotton yarn, 0.54 per cent in towels and 14.89 per cent in tents, canvas and tarpaulin during the first two months of the current fiscal year over the same period last year.

Ready-made garments were the only value-added sector which recorded a growth of 4.12 per cent during the first two months of the current fiscal year over the first two months of 2011-12.

The other textile materials also witnessed a hefty growth of 55 per cent in the first two months of the current fiscal year over the last year.

However, knitwear exports declined by 14.48 per cent and bed wear 17.49 per cent. Export of raw cotton declined 83.15 per cent, cotton decreased 88.73 per cent, art silk declined by 6.92 per cent, made up articles 4.82 per cent.