ISLAMABAD: Export of textile and clothing witnessed a negative growth of 46 per cent in the first two months of the current fiscal year from a year ago.

The fall in export proceeds was being witnessed for the past few months despite GSP-Plus scheme, suggested data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics released on Monday.

In July and August 2015, export proceeds fell to $2.136 billion from $2.160bn over the corresponding months of last year, a decline of 46pc.

Product-wise details show that export of textile and clothing products across the board witnessed a negative growth except value-added garments and knitwear sectors which witnessed growth during the period under review.

Export of low value-added products, suchascottonyarn dippedby13pc;yarn other than cotton yarn, 10.84pc; and cotton carded 17.02pc during the months under review over the corresponding month last year.

Export of art, silk dropped by 15.14pc; tents, canvas 34.99pc and cotton cloth 9.21pc, respectively. Raw cotton export witnessed an increase of 17.33pc in JulyAugust 2015 from a year ago.

Exports of value-added products witnessed rise during the months under review. Export of knitwear was up by 4.33pc and readymade garments 12.47pc.

Towel export also witnessed an increase of 7.24pc during the period under review. Export of bed-wear dipped by 4.46pc in July-August 2015 over the last year.

Total exports witnessed a decline 10.27pc to $3.432bn in July-August 2015 as against $3.825bn over the corresponding period last year.

OIL AND FOOD PRODUCTS: Import of oil and eatables bill witnessed a decline of 28pc in the first two months (July-August) of this fiscal year from a year ago.

In absolute terms, import bill of these two products fell from $3.349bn over the corresponding period of last year to $2.396bn.

Total import bill reached $7.194bn as against $7.931bn, showing a decline of 9.29pc.

The import bill of food products witnessed a negative growth of 7.88pc at $0.768bn in July-August 2015 as against $0.833bn over the corresponding period last year.

The decline was mainly due to no import of wheat and soyabean oil during the period under review.

Statistics show that oil import bill reached $1.628bn in July-August this year as against $2.516bn last year, indicating a decline of 35.28pc. Import of crude oil was down by 28.73pc while import of petroleum products fell by 38.81pc.