Category-wise, knitwear exports showed a slight decrease of 0.35 per cent year-on-year to $1.393 billion during the seven-month period, while exports of non-knit readymade garments were up by 4.17 per cent to $1.301 billion.
Among textiles, raw cotton exports fetched $36.956 million during the period under review, showing a sharp drop of 49.86 per cent compared to exports of $73.711 million made during the same period of the previous fiscal. Likewise, cotton yarn exports fell by 5.88 per cent to $743.593 million, as against exports of $790.016 million made during the same period in 2015-16.
Exports of cotton fabric dropped 5.24 per cent to $1.233 billion during July-January 2016-17, while bedwear exports increased by 5.07 per cent to $1.225 billion, the data showed.
On the import side, synthetic fibre imports dropped 15.30 per cent year-on-year to $250.734 million, whereas imports of synthetic and artificial silk increased 4.46 per cent to $378.664 million.
The value of textile machinery imports by Pakistan increased by 16.13 per cent year-on-year to $306.609 million during the same period, showing a return of confidence among textile entrepreneurs.
In fiscal 2015-16, Pakistan's textile and garment exports decreased by 7.42 per cent year-on-year to $12.455 billion. (RKS)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India