KARACHI - Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) said Tuesday that it was safe to predict that Pakistans exports for the financial year 2009-2010 will overshoot the target of $ 18.868 billion. In fact if the current trend continues, and it is fair to assume that the exports of Pakistan are well on course to break the $ 19 billion threshold achieved in the year 2007-2008, said a TDAP analysis on current export data. Pakistans exports have jumped by 37.8 percent to $ 1.807 billion in March 2010 as compared to $ 1.312 billion in the same month last year. It said that the export performance in March has been the highest recorded in any month of the current year as well and as for the corresponding month of the previous five years. TDAP said that countrys exports have turned the corner and overcome the challenges posed by the global recession. It is also important to note that exports during the months December through March 2010 have grown at an average of 28.3pc over the corresponding period of 2009, which gives encouragement to the thought that the recession is officially over for Pakistan. A closer look at the sectoral trends of exports for the year 2009-2010 reveals that textiles and clothing, agro food and metals & minerals have shown an upward trend over the previous year. The main drivers of this growth are; raw cotton, cotton yarn, art silk and synthetic textiles, readymade garments and towels in the textiles and clothing sector; rice, fruits and vegetables have made big advances in the agro food sector; whereas jewellery in the metals and mineral sector, has grown by a massive 70pc during the period July to February 2010 over the same period of the last financial year. The Global recession which resulted in the shrinkage of the western and developed economies by approx 5pc on an average in the year 2009, saw the developing economies maintain a robust growth averaging 6pc. This phenomenon has also had a positive impact on the geographic diversification of Pakistani exports, so that Pakistani exports to Asia now accounts for 45pc of total exports from Pakistan. Asia has therefore emerged as the largest market of Pakistani goods. The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan is now doubling its levels of participation in Asian markets through increased delegations, exhibitions and other facilitation for Pakistani exporters to take advantage of opportunities in Asian countries.