By Farooq Awan

Pakistan’s textile and apparel exports stood at $13.58 billion during July–March FY26, posting a marginal decline of 0.5% compared to $13.65 billion in the same period last year, as per the Pakistan Textile Council’s monthly export analysis report available with Wealth Pakistan. The textile and apparel sector remained the dominant contributor to the country’s export basket, accounting for approximately 60% of total exports during the period under review.

Overall exports were recorded at $22.67 billion, reflecting an 8% decline compared to $24.72 billion in July–March FY25. In March 2026, textile and apparel exports were recorded at $1.33 billion, showing a 7% year-on-year decrease compared to $1.43 billion in March 2025. On a month-on-month basis, exports registered a slight increase of 1% from $1.32 billion in February 2026, indicating marginal recovery in the latest month. A detailed breakdown highlights varying performance across different segments of the textile sector.

Traditional textiles, covering chapters 50–60, recorded exports of $2.284 billion during July–March FY26, reflecting a decline of 7% compared to $2.450 billion in the corresponding period last year. Within traditional textiles, several categories posted notable declines. Cotton exports decreased to $1,867.9 million from $1,988.8 million, while man-made filaments dropped to $40.7 million from $54.0 million.

Similarly, knitted or crocheted fabrics declined to $25.2 million from $34.5 million, and carpets and other textile floor coverings fell to $37.0 million from $42.3 million. However, some categories within traditional textiles recorded growth. Special woven fabrics increased to $35.7 million from $29.3 million, while wool and related products rose slightly to $1.6 million from $1.5 million during the period.

In contrast, value-added textile segments, comprising apparel and other made-up articles (chapters 61–63), showed modest growth. Exports in this category reached $11.299 billion during July–March FY26, compared to $11.201 billion in the same period of FY25, reflecting an increase of around 1%. Within this segment, non-knit apparel emerged as the leading contributor to growth, increasing by 3.8% to $3,208 million.

Made-up textile articles also recorded a rise of 0.6%, reaching $4,347 million. Knitwear exports, however, declined slightly by 1.1% to $3,743 million. Pakistan’s major export destinations remained largely stable during the period. The European Union continued to be the largest market, with exports valued at $5.383 billion.

The United States followed with $3.607 billion, while exports to the United Kingdom stood at $1.316 billion. Other notable destinations included Bangladesh, with exports of $485 million, and China, where exports reached $470 million. The report further shows that Pakistan’s textile exports have experienced fluctuations over recent years.

Following a drop from $14.36 billion in 2021–22 to $12.64 billion in 2022–23 and $12.46 billion in 2023–24, exports recovered to $13.65 billion in 2024–25, only to edge down again in the current fiscal period. The overall data indicates that while value-added textile segments continue to support export performance, persistent declines in traditional textile categories remain evident in the sector’s export composition.

Credit: INP-WealthPk