Pakistan - Textile sector exports down by 10pc as energy crisis takes toll - YarnsandFibers (subscription)

  Dated- 22 May , 2012 - PakistanPakistan?s textiles sector has been ?hit hard? by the prevailing energy crisis as during the first ten months of the outgoing fiscal year textile sector exports shrank by about one-tenth and its share in the country?s total exports has also drastically reduced, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reported Monday.

Pakistan is the World?s fourth largest cotton producers and the third largest consumer. Cotton-based textiles contribute over 60 percent to country?s total exports, 46 percent of the total manufacturing and provide employment to about 38 percent manufacturing labour force. But during the period under review its share in the total exports has reduced to about 52.37 percent.

According to official data, textiles? exports have been contracted by 9.6 percent (or $1.076 billion) during July-April 2011-12, as its total exports stood at $10.143 billion against $11.219 billion in same period of last year. In the sub-groups, only raw cotton exports increased by 32.3 percent to $433.05 million while other products? exports in textiles, which involve value addition and need energy, all have reduced in the range of five to 73 percent. Overall in the sector, during July-April 2011-12 cotton yarn export down by 22.78 percent to $1.451 billion, cotton cloth 5.35 percent to$1.969 billion, bed wear 13.8 percent to $1.45 billion, knitwear 13.13 percent to $1.62 billion, readymade garments five percent to $1.326 billion and towels exports down by 8.4 percent to $556.5 million over the same period last year.

During July-April 2011-12, rice export reduced by 3.18 percent to $1.735 billion and petroleum and coal exports also dip by huge 29 percent to $810.53 million, wheat by 73 percent to $112.73 million, carpets, rugs and mats by 5.9 percent to $104.35 million, vegetables 37.7 percent to $131.86 million, leather tanned 3.28 percent to $358.65 million, leather manufacturers 3.3 percent to $435.31 million over the corresponding period of the last year. Besides, fish and fish preparations export up by 10.6 percent to $259.34 million, fruits 28 percent to $322.43 million, meat and meat preparations 16 percent to $141.6 million, sports goods 2.37 percent to $269.17 million, surgical good and medical instruments 17.4 percent to $249.57 million, chemical and pharmaceutical products 25.3 percent to $909 million and engineering goods exports up by 17 percent to $230 million over corresponding period of the last year. Tobacco exports also up by 1.9 percent to $23.35 million and oilseeds, nuts and kernels by 60.6 percent to $23.36 million.

Food items exports also reduced by 2.44 percent to $3.51 billion. Basmati export down by 14.14 percent to $668.1 million over same period last year. However, jewellery exports increased by 107 percent to $649.7 million during the period under review, proving that there is immense potential in the sector, while exports of gems were down by five percent to $3.07 million.

Source: The News, Pakistan .

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Energy crunch: KP approves two weekly holidays, early closure of markets - The Express Tribune

Educat­ional instit­utions exempt­ed from the decisi­on. Educational institutions exempted from the decision.

PESHAWAR: 

In accordance with the energy conference’s decisions, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government on Wednesday approved two-weekly holidays from May 5th but exempted educational institutions from the decision.

While giving a media briefing after the 46th cabinet meeting, provincial Information Minister Main Iftikhar Hussain said the timings of government departments will remain unchanged, and markets will be closed by 8:30pm.

Iftikhar said that the authority of redeploying 180 platoons of Frontier Constabulary (FC), out of 294 deputed in various parts of the country, has been given to Chief Minister K-P Ameer Haider Khan Hoti to protect various areas of the province and the tribal areas. The chief minister can now recall these personnel at any time, he added.

While giving details of the platoons, Hussain said that 60 platoons were rendering duties in Karachi, 16 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 35 in Islamabad, 107 in the Army while 82 platoons are with the police department.

The platoons are supposed to defend the frontiers along the porous Pak-Afghan border and the tribal belt, the minister said.

The meeting also approved various training courses for the capacity building of the government employees, he added.

Hussain also said that legal complications have surfaced in formulating the legislation to confiscate the property of officials who have links with militants.

The report compiled by a committee formed to investigate the Bannu jailbreak will be discussed in a special meeting of the provincial cabinet, he said, adding that the officials involved in the massive dereliction of duty will be taken to task.

A wave of sectarianism across the country is spilling over into K-P, and affecting the law and order situation in the province, he added.

Meanwhile, Director Education K-P Rafiq Khattak told The Express Tribune that schools and colleges of the province will remain exempted from the decision of two weekly holidays.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 3rd, 2012.

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