Pakistan’s textile and clothing exports rose 6.2 per cent year-on-year in March. The increase was mainly due to value-added products such as garments. Customs duty was brought down to zero from four per cent. Likewise, sales tax was brought down to zero from five per cent.

Exports of value-added products grew during the month, both in terms of value and quantity. Exports of readymade garments rose by 19.5 per cent and that of knitwear grew by 5.4 per cent. Exports of bed wear edged up by 5.4 per cent and those of towels 15.8 per cent during the month. Exports of cotton yarn witnessed a year-on-year increase of five per cent while those of cotton cloth and yarn, other than cotton, dropped by 5.5 per cent and 26.9 per cent.

Made-up articles exports, excluding towels, increased by 16 per cent, while export of tents, canvas and tarpaulin grew by 71.8 per cent. The country is looking for a $500 million increase in textile exports in the next three months.

Pakistan is helping the entire textile sector chain to adopt and upgrade new technologies. Funds have been allotted to carry out research activities and bring about a qualitative improvement in industry-academia linkages.