ISLAMABAD: Export of non-textile products witnessed a marginal growth of 3.45 per cent in the nine months of the current fiscal year from a year ago, mainly driven by increase in export of cement, sugar and jewelery.

However, export of traditional products, like sports goods, surgical instruments, rice and carpets witnessed a substantial decline during the period under review, suggested data compiled by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

In absolute terms, export of non-textile products totalled $8.387bn in July-March 2012-13 as against $8.107bn in the corresponding period last year.

A decline of 5.14pc was noted in export of carpets while sports goods dipped by 1.55pc.

Foreign sales of footballs dropped 5.10pc while gloves registered an increase of 18.56pc during the period under review.

Export of gur rose 22.81pc, cement 22.79pc, handicraft 500pc, furniture 23.94pc, jewellery 92.14pc and gems 17.58pc during July-March 2012-13.

Contrary to this, export of surgical goods and medical instruments fell by 2.25pc, engineering goods 0.52pc.

Exports of leather made-ups rebounded as it recorded a growth of 2.22pc during July-March period of the current fiscal year over last year.

This growth was mainly driven by an increase of 8.51pc in export of leather garments.

The country’s export of traditional products witnessed substantial decline in the current fiscal year mainly due to high input cost and low demand from the emerging markets because of recession.

These products were also facing stiff competition from China and India.

Export of food items witnessed an increase of 11.40pc during the July-March period of the current fiscal year as it stood at $3.432bn in July-March period of the current fiscal year as against $3.081bn of last year.

This growth was mainly driven by unprecedented increase in export of sugar during the period under review. Pakistan exported 578,039 tonnes sugar during the July-March period of the current fiscal year.

In value term, export proceeds of sugar stood at $297.625m in the first nine months of the current fiscal year as against $2.471m during the corresponding period of last year, reflecting an increase of 11,944pc.

Export of meat, oil, spices, fruits, vegetables and fish also witnessed an increase during the period under review. Export of rice witnessed a decline of 7.12pc during July-March period of the current fiscal year over last year.

Of these, export of basmati rice declined by over 23pc during the period under review. However, export of non-basmati rice surged by 3.50pc.