Pakistan textile and clothing exports in March 2015 witnessed a negative growth of 16.23 per cent to $1.033 billion from $1.233bn in the same month last year. The fall was witnessed for the second consecutive month, after posting a positive growth of 10.23pc in January 2015 as per Pakistan Bureau of Statistics data.

During the first nine months (July-March) of 2014-15, the exports of textile and clothing also witnessed a negative growth of 1.57pc.

Product-wise details show that export of low value-added products, such as cotton yarn, dropped by 29.36pc; yarn other than cotton yarn 31.04pc and made-up textile excluding towels by 13.62pc.; cotton carded 35.77pc and cotton cloth by 14.45pc. The export of art, silk also dipped by 24.87pc

Moreover, raw cotton export witnessed a steep decline of 85.72pc during the month from a year ago.

Exports of value-added products also witnessed a decline during the month. Export of knitwear decreased by 7.41pc, readymade garments by 5.20pc, bedwear dropped by 16.84pc and towels by 19.03pc.

However, only tents exports witnessed a growth of 42.38pc during the month.

Total exports stood at $17.930bn in July-March 2014-15 as compared to $19.072bn in the same period last year, a decline of 5.99pc.