Textiles: Jul-Feb exports rise 0.3pc YoY

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s textile exports during the first eight months (July–February) of the financial year 2025–26 registered a slight increase of USD 32 million, or 0.3 percent, reaching USD 12.249 billion on a year-on-year (YoY) basis.

Data obtained from the Pakistan Textile Council (PTC) revealed that, on a month-on-month (MoM) basis, textile exports in February 2026 declined by USD 102 million compared to January, reflecting a negative growth of 7 percent. Exports stood at USD 1.315 billion.

According to PTC’s analysis, “Trade Outlook of Pakistan - July–Feb 2025–26,” the textile sector is maintaining cumulative stability but is facing a monthly slowdown. During the July–February period, agriculture and food exports stood at USD 3.58 billion, which is 32 percent lower compared to the same period last year.

READ MORE: Textile exports rise 1.25% to $10.9bn in July–January FY26

The manufacturing and energy sectors showed positive growth of 0.2 percent, reaching USD 3.995 billion on a YoY basis. The mining sector exports recorded a growth of 22 percent, amounting to USD 567 million.

Pakistan’s exports to the Middle East increased by 7 percent to USD 2.37 billion. Exports to the USA rose by 2 percent to USD 3.97 billion, while exports to South America registered an increase of 11 percent. While the country’s textile exports to the following markets have witnessed a declining trend: the European Union (EU) by 2 percent and remained at USD 6.01 billion, the UK 3 percent decline, the ASEAN region 44 percent decline, Central Asian Republics (CARs) and Afghanistan 53 percent reduction, South Asia 18 percent reduction, and Africa 11 percent reduction.

Pakistan’s trade deficit has widened to USD 24.98 billion in the first two months of FY26, with exports down and imports up, despite marginal increases in the textiles and apparel sector and the agriculture and food sector.

The country’s exports reached to USD 20.462 billion during July–February of the current fiscal year (2025–26), Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) said.

According to the PBS data, the exports showed a decline of 7.30 percent as compared to exports of USD 22.073 billion during the July–February period of the last fiscal year (2024–25).

On the other hand, imports into the country increased by 8.06 percent, rising from USD 42.110 billion last year to USD 45.504 billion during July–February (2025–26).

Based on the figures, the trade deficit during the first eight months was recorded at USD 25.042 billion against the deficit of USD 20.037 billion last year, showing an increase of 24.98 percent.

Meanwhile, on a year-on-year basis, the exports in February 2026 decreased by 8.76 percent to USD 2.272 billion compared to USD 2.490 billion in February 2025. The imports also witnessed a decrease of 1.61 percent, declining from USD 5.339 billion to USD 5.253 billion during the same period.

On a month-on-month basis, the exports from the country decreased by 25.63 percent when compared to USD 3.055 billion during January 2026. The imports also decreased by 9.51 percent compared to USD 5.805 billion in January 2026, the PBS reported.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026