Govt targets $19.9b exports, $28.7b imports

ISLAMABAD- The government has set a total export target at US $ 19.9b in the trade policy for the current fiscal
year, to be announced on July 25, while import target has been set at US $ 28.7b.
The new policy projects the total trade deficit at US $ 8.8b as against the US $ 15.22b during the first eleven
months of the financial year 2008-09, as the country exported goods worth US $ 16.26b while goods worth US $
31.48b were imported.
The export estimates for the last financial year were set at US $ 22.9b, which later were reduced to US $ 19.5b
due to a number of reasons including the prevailing energy crisis and high cost of doing business.
The break-up of overall exports revealed that the share of textile sector exports would be $ 10.41b in the year
2009-10. In textile sector the main contributors are as, raw cotton $ 69m, cotton yarn $ 1.28b, cotton cloth $
1.98b, yarn $ 46.1m, knitwear $ 1.84b, bed-wears $ 1.87b, towels $ 603m, readymade garments $ 1.43b, art
silk and synthetic textile $ 403m, textile made ups $ 528m and other textile materials $ 351m.
The export of food group is estimated $ 3.06b for the ongoing fiscal year. Petroleum groups contributions in
exports are projected at $ 1.27b in 2009-10, and petroleum products at $ 504.1m.
Other manufacturing groups contribution in exports during the ongoing financial year are: carpets $ 213.2m,
sports goods $ 303m, leather tanned $ 408m, leather manufacturing 689.3m, footwear 103m, surgical
instruments $ 257m, plastic materials $ 609.5m, engineering goods $ 254.1m, jewellery $ 210m and cement $
545m.
On the other hand total imports are estimated at $ 28.7b in 2009-10.
The share of Machinery group in total imports are projected around $ 4.92b, food group $ 2.88b, transport group
$ 1.84b, textile group imports $ 1.94b. Similarly agriculture and chemicals imports are projected around $ 2.31b;
with metals groups estimated at $ 1.75b in the ongoing financial year.
While miscellaneous group imports are targeted around $ 522m and all other exports are estimated at around $
7.44b for 2009-10.