Textile exports record 1.35pc decline first time in current fiscal year

Islamabad: According to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the country’s textile and apparel exports declined by 1.35 percent in April 2025 compared to the same month last year, the first monthly decline of the current fiscal year.

According to a media report, the sector continued to grow, albeit at a slow pace, in the initial months, but the increase in production costs in recent months has harmed the performance.

The growth of exports in this sector gradually slowed down, which was 13 percent in August, 17.92 percent in September, 13.11 percent in October, 10.81 percent in November, 5.55 percent in December, 15.85 percent in January, 9.31 percent in February, and 9.97 percent in March, after which it went into the negative zone in April.

Textile and apparel exports in April stood at $1.22 billion, down from $1.24 billion in the same month last year, a slight decline.

Although exports declined in April, overall textile and apparel exports grew by 8.4 percent during the first 10 months of fiscal year 2025 (July-April) to $14.84 billion, up from $13.68 billion in the same period last year.

Industry experts say the decline reflects deep-seated structural issues in the sector.

The sector’s growth slowed to 8.4 percent between July and April.

Although the textile sector has an export potential of $25 billion, there has been no significant growth in it for the past two years.

Exporters have been continuously demanding from the government the immediate payment of long-pending refunds and rebates, which they consider crucial for the continuity of their operations.

According to PBS data, exports of ready-made garments grew by 17.52 percent in value and 6.44 percent in volume from July to April, while exports of knitwear grew by 15.47 percent in value and 7.7 percent in volume. The exports of bedwear grew by 12.2 percent in value and 10.5 percent in volume.

During the 10 months, exports of towels grew by 4.49 percent in value and 4.06 percent in volume, while exports of cotton cloth recorded a decline of 0.45 percent in value and 5.37 percent in volume.

During July-April, yarn exports declined by 31.91 percent, exports of manufactured goods other than towels increased by 9.10 percent, while exports of tents, canvas, and tarpaulins recorded an increase of 11.65 percent.

Raw cotton exports saw a decline of 98.5 percent during the period under review.

Imports of synthetic fibers increased by 9.2 percent, and arrivals of synthetic silk yarn recorded a 14.6 percent increase, however, imports of other textile products increased by 74.9 percent.

During the first 10 months of the current fiscal year, raw cotton imports increased by 236 percent compared to the previous year.

Imports of used clothes increased by 21.2 percent, and imports of textile machinery recorded a 61.7 percent increase year-on-year during July-April.

The country's total exports increased by 6.4 percent to $26.89 billion in the first 10 months of fiscal year 2025, compared to $25.27 billion in the same period last year.