Post 10.16pc growth in first 9 months of FY 2012-13
The country’s export earnings post a healthy growth in March despite political turmoil in the country, taking the overall export growth in first nine months of the current fiscal to 10.16 per cent.
The export earnings in March grew by 16.20 per cent compared with the same month of the last financial year. The earning growth in March of FY 2011-12 was negative 7.23 per cent.
The single-month export in March increased to $2.3 billion in current financial year from $1.9 billion in the same month of FY 2011-12.
The country’s export earnings in the first nine months of the current FY 2012-13 totalled $19.70 billion with 10.16 per cent growth compared with the same period of the last financial year.
The earnings of July-March were 2.40 per cent short of the target of $20.18 billion.
The export earnings of March, however, fell 6.29 per cent short of the target of $2.45 billion, according to the data of Export Promotion Bureau.
Exporters said the export earnings were rebounding and witnessed an eye-catching growth as the export to the European countries had been increasing.
They said that the US and EU — the major destinations of Bangladeshi products — were covering up their economic depression and increasing orders which helped the positive growth.
Though the export earnings of the country were rebounding the export target for the nine months was not fulfilled because of severe political confrontation in the country, exporters said.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association vice-president Md Shahidullah Azim said the increasing export orders from the US and the UK were encouraging the entrepreneurs but the orders had started to fall due to the current political unrest.
He hoped that the export earnings would exceed the target if the politicians agreed to shun the politics of confrontation.
Azim said a business-friendly environment needed to be ensured for the entrepreneurs without any delay. ‘Otherwise the growth of export earnings will be effected largely,’ he said.
According to the EPB data, the woven garments and knitwear — the major export items — continued its growth and achieved a modest growth in March.
The export growth of woven garments was 13.81per cent in July-March against 19.24 per cent in the same period of the last financial year.
The export earnings from woven garments amounted $8.09 billion which was 2.69 per cent more than the target of $7.8 billion.
The export growth of knitwear in nine months of current financial year grew by 8.44 per cent from that of 5.92 per cent in the same period of the last financial year.
The export earnings from knitwear amounted $7.5 billion which was about $7 billion in the same period of the last financial year.
The EPB data showed that footwear export earnings in nine months of the current fiscal year were $311.49 million with 19.41 per cent growth.
Leather export earnings amounted $272.34 million with 14.99 per cent growth while the export of leather products stood at $104.25 million with a growth of 75.92 per cent.
The export of jute and jute goods in July-March period of the current fiscal year stood at $765.42 million with 7.72 per cent growth.
The export earnings from agricultural products totalled $371.10 million with 31.20 per cent growth.
The export earnings from engineering products including iron steel, copper wire, stainless steel ware, engineering equipment, electric products and bicycle amounted $283.21 million with 8.86 per cent growth in July-March of the current financial year.
Frozen food fetched $396.60 million with 16.25 per cent negative growth in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.
-With New Age input
