The export of primary commodities overall gained slightly higher growth than the manufactured goods in the first half (July-December) of the current fiscal (2013-14) though major manufactured goods like RMG, leather & leather products fared better during the period.
Country’s overall export earnings during the period reached $ 14,685.81 million having a growth of 16.56 percent over the same period last year, and also 3.08 percent higher than the strategic export target of $ 14,246.55 million.
Of the July-December earnings, the export of manufactured commodities fetched $ 14,043.25 million showing an increase of 16.52 percent over the corresponding period of last year, according to the latest statistics released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).
The export of primary commodities also rose to $ 642.56 million during July-December period of the current fiscal, posting a growth of 17.43 percent and exceeding the target of $ 571.05 million for the six-month period.
According to the EPB statistics, the export of manufactured products, including knitwear, woven garment, chemical products, leather, other manufactured products, footwear, ceramic items, paper and paper products, and computer services showed good performance during this six-month period.
However, jute and jute-made goods, petroleum by-products, engineering products, home textiles, specialised textile, plastic products, and cotton fabrics showed negative export growth during the first half compared to the same period last year.
The earnings from major export-oriented knitwear sector totalled $ 5,948.69 million in July-December of the current fiscal showing 19.55 percent growth over the same period last fiscal, while woven garment fetched $ 5,983.51 million having a 20.37 percent growth over the corresponding period of last fiscal.
During the six-month period, export of jute and jute-made goods totalled $ 416.46 million, petroleum by-products $ 77.86 million, leather $ 239.45 million, other manufactured products $ 65.41 million and engineering products $ 176.07 million.
During the period, export of home textiles totalled $ 350.20 million, plastic products $ 38.22 million, handicrafts $ 3.49 million, ceramic products $ 24.35 million, footwear $ 285.96 million and cotton fabrics $ 57.86 million.
Of the export of primary commodities during the July-December period, frozen shrimp, vegetables, dry food, turmeric and tea showed healthy performances while frozen fish, crabs, fish fry, fruits, betel nut, tobacco, flower and foliage, human hair, rice, mustard oil, and fruit juice witnessed negative growth.
Frozen shrimp export during the six-month period of the current fiscal totalled $ 331.39 million registering a 34.71 percent growth over the same period of last fiscal, while frozen fish fetched $ 24.68 million.
Vegetables export for the first six months of the current fiscal totalled $ 66.19 million, fruits $ 9.60 million, tobacco $ 35.27 million, flowers and foliage $ 21.11 million and dry food $ 23.90 million.
The export of tea totalled $ 1.40 million during the July-December period, followed by turmeric $ 8.80 million.
Source: UNBConnect
