Pakistan’s non-textile exports saw a year-on-year growth of 25.85 percent to reach $12.46 billion in the outgoing fiscal year of 2021-22, attributable to a partial revival of international orders as well as the government’s support schemes.
The non-textile sector is a key driver of economic growth in Pakistan. However, the sector has yet to recover fully from the Covid-19 pandemic, according to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
The continued growth of exports in FY21 in sectors such as leather garments, surgical instruments, and engineering goods demonstrates the resiliency of these industries in the face of lockdowns and other challenges.
The value-added leather sector in particular saw exports of leather garments and gloves grow by 10.15% and 10.60%, respectively. This is in contrast to the raw leather sector, which saw exports increase by over 28.50% during the previous fiscal year.
Pakistan is one of the largest suppliers of surgical instruments globally. However, these instruments are re-marketed under well-known Western brands, diminishing the export value of these products.
In the fiscal year exports of surgical instruments decreased by 1.29 percent. This is compared to a 0.49 percent decrease in exports of pharmaceutical products.
