Garment exports from Pakistan to the European Union marked an increase of around 21 per cent in the first year of GSP plus scheme. As per the EU official data, Pakistan’s garments exports to the EU reached US $ 1.46 billion in January-July 2015 against US $ 1.43 billion over the corresponding period last year. In 2014, the garment exports were worth US $ 7.52 billion and US $ 6.22 billion in 2013.
The value of garments exports to the EU noted a surge of around 26 per cent during the period under review, in euro terms. In quantity terms, garments exports increased by 6.4 per cent to 104,467.10 metric tonnes from 98,110.30 metric tonnes over the previous year. With garments exports to EU increasing, the textile & garment sector of Pakistan under GSP plus scheme (Generalised Scheme of Preferences) reaping benefits out of preferential access to the European Union.
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On the other hand, exports of home textiles products dipped 5.5 per cent to around US $ 934 million in January-July 2015 period from US $ 989.3 million in the corresponding period last year. In quantity terms, home textiles exports stood at 150,720.7 metric tonnes in the period under review compared to 140,968.2 metric tonnes last year, marking an increase of 6.4 per cent.
Export of cotton and intermediary goods of textile also fell to US $ 522 million during the January-July period from US $ 639 million in the corresponding period last year. The total exports to EU dropped by 15.4 per cent to US $ 4.2 billion in January-August period from US $ 5 billion in the corresponding period last year.
