ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s export of textile and clothing fell by over four per cent in February 2013 from a year ago after witnessing successive growths in the past five months.

Since October 2013, exports of textile and clothing rebounded because of slight rise in demand from recession-hit key markets of European and the US, and improvement in domestic production.

Export of textile and clothing dipped to $991 million in February 2013 from $1.033 billion during the corresponding month of last year, showed data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics here on Thursday.

Textile and clothing proucts, which witnessed a negative growth are raw  cotton, yarn other than cotton yarn, towels, readymade garments and art and silk in February this year over last year.

As a result, overall exports fell to $1.835bn in February 2013 from $2.01bn over the same month last year.

On a monthly basis, export of textile and clothing witnessed a growth of 8.72pc in January 2013, over 12pc in December 2012, 23.54pc in November 2012 from a year ago.

The growth in export was 10.54pc in October, and 12.91pc in September.

Trend in the previous months showed that growth in exports of textile and clothing was on the decline.  Because of this downward spiral, overall growth in textile and clothing fell  to 6.55pc in July-February period this year from a year ago.

In absolute terms, export proceeds of textile and clothing sector reached $8.483bn in July-February period this year as against $7.962bn over the corresponding period of last year. A sector-wise analysis showed that export of low value-added products, such as cotton yarn, was up by 19.78pc, cotton cloth 1.02pc, cotton carded 600pc, made-up articles 3.30pc and other textile material 15.42pc in February this year over same month last year.

Export of knitwear increased by 3.01pc and bed wear 4.48pc in February this year over last year.

Statistics shows that export of raw cotton declined by 79.56pc, readymade garments by 2.72pc, art, silk and synthetic textile by 32.44pc in February this year over last year.