TAHIR AMIN

ISLAMABAD: The country’s textile group exports have witnessed a decline of 5.54 percent in January 2021 as it stood at $1.32 billion compared to $1.4 billion during December 2020, says the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).

The exports and imports data released by the PBS revealed that the textile group exports have registered an increase of 10.79 percent on year-on-year basis as it reached $1.32 billion in January 2021 compared to $1.19 billion in January 2020.

Textile group exports registered 8.23 percent growth during the first seven months (July-January) 2020-21 and remained at $8.76 billion compared to $8.09 billion during the same period of last year.

Cotton yarn exports declined by 10.90 percent during January 2021 and remained at $85.69 million compared to $96.18 million during December 2020 and declined by 10.38 percent when compared to $95.62 during the same month of last year.

Cotton yarn registered 23.97 percent decline during July-January 2020-21 and remained at $486.42 million compared to $639.77 million during the same period of last year.

Raw cotton exports recorded massive decline of 100 percent in January 2021 as it stood at zero compared to $0.07 million during December 2020 and $0.54 million during January 2020.

Raw cotton registered 96.27 percent decline during July-January 2020-21 and remained at $0.596 million compared to $15.88 million during the same period of last year.

Petroleum group imports witnessed a decline of 20.90 percent as it reached $5.64 billion during July-January 2020-21 compared to $7.13 billion during the same period of last year.

Petroleum group imports witnessed a decline of 12.13 percent as it reached $869.29 million in January 2021 compared to $989.25 million during January 2020 and registered 5.39 percent growth when compared to $824.86 million in December 2020.

Construction machinery imports has witnessed massive decline of 42.34 percent during the July-January 2020-21 and remained at $64.62 million compared to $112.06 million during the same period of last year.

Construction machinery imports witnessed also massive decline of 66.89 percent during January 2021 and remained $10.32 million compared to $31.19 million, during January 2020 and registered over 49 percent growth when compared to $6.91 million in December 2020.

The country’s exports during July–January, 2020-2021 totaled $14.256 billion (provisional) against $13.496 billion during the corresponding period of last year showing an increase of 5.63 percent.

The exports in January, 2021 were $2.146 billion (provisional) as compared to $2.366 billion in December, 2020, showing a decrease of 9.30 percent but increased by 8.82 percent as compared to $1.972 million in January 2020.

The country’s imports during July-January, 2020-2021 totaled $29.274 billion (provisional) as against $27.316 billion during the corresponding period of last year showing an increase of 7.17 percent.

The imports in January, 2021 were $4.820 billion (provisional) as compared to $4.986 billion in December, 2020 showing a decrease of 3.33 percent but increased by 16.96 percent as compared to $4.121 billion in January 2020.

The country’s trade deficit widened by 8.67 percent to $15.018 billion during July-January 2020-21 compared to $13.820 billion during July-January 2019-20.

Main commodities of exports during January 2021 were knitwear Rs 52.118 billion, registering 37.61 percent growth compared to the same period of last year and decreased by 5.86 percent compared to December 2020, readymade garments Rs 45.307 billion registering 8.99 percent growth compared to the same period of last year and 0.59 percent decline compared to December 2020, bedwear Rs 35.126 billion registered 17.02 percent growth compared to same period of last year and 14.29 percent decline compared to December 2020, rice Rs 18.957 billion registered 5.76 percent growth compared to same period of last year and 41.04 percent decline compared to December 2020, cotton cloth Rs 24.23 billion registered 10.80 percent decline compared to the same period of last year and 6.45 percent decline compared to December 2020, towels Rs 14.015 billion registered 38.86 percent growth compared to same period of last year, and 5.49 percent growth compared to Dec 2020, basmati rice Rs 12.149 billion registered 20.44 percent growth compared to the same period of last year and 138.40 percent growth compared to December 2020, cotton yarn Rs 13.724 billion registered 7.20 percent decline compared to the same period of last year and 10.86 percent decline compared to December 2020, made up articles (excl towels and bed-wear) Rs 10.84 billion registered 25.56 percent growth compared to same period of last year and decline by 6.06 percent compared to December 2020.