Footwear exports witness upward trend in eight months

ISLAMABAD: Exports of footwear increased by 1.96 percent during the first eight months of the current fiscal year as against the same period of last year.

According to data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the footwear exports were recorded at $69.655 million during July-February (2011-12) against the production of $68.319 million during July-February (2010-11).

Among the footwear products, the major increase was witnessed in the exports of leather footwear, exports of which increased by 24.78 percent during the period.

Exports of leather footwear were recorded at $59.145 million during the period under review against the exports of $47.401 recorded during the same period of last year.

However, the exports of canvas footwear decreased from $0.181 million last year to $0.186 million during current year, showing negative growth of 33.81 percent.

Similarly, exports of other footwear decreased by 49.97 percent by falling from $20.637 million last year to $10.324 million during current year, the data revealed.

On the other hand, during the period under review, the leather manufactures exports witnessed nominal decrease of 0.01 percent by falling from $370.564 million to $370.517 million.

Among the leather manufactures, the exports of gloves increased from $74.963 million to $112.777 million, showing increase of 50.44 percent.

However, there has been negative growth of 13.23 percent in exports of leather garments, which declined from $284.925 million to $247.235 million, according to the data.

The exports of other leather manufactures also decreased from $10.676 million last year to $10.505 million during current year, showing negative growth of 1.60 percent.

Exports of Leather (tanned) increased by 0.48 percent during the period under as the exports of the commodity increased from $276.577 million last year to $277.898 million in the current fiscal year.

Exports of sports goods also increased by 2.32 percent during the first eight months of the current fiscal year as compared to the same period of last year.

Sports goods worth $204.390 million were exported during July- February (2011-12) as against the exports of $199.751 million during July-February (2010-11), according to data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.