By Ijaz Kakakhel

Pakistan’s total exports stood at $22.67 billion during July–March FY26, marking a decline of 8% compared to $24.72 billion in the same period last year, as per the Pakistan Textile Council’s monthly export analysis report available with Wealth Pakistan. The data shows that the decline in overall exports reflects a broad-based slowdown across key sectors, with the country’s external earnings remaining under pressure during the current fiscal period.

In March 2026 alone, exports were recorded at $2.28 billion, registering a 14% year-on-year decrease from $2.65 billion in March 2025. On a month-on-month basis, exports remained unchanged at $2.28 billion in both February and March 2026. The textile and apparel sector continued to play a central role in Pakistan’s export performance, contributing $13.58 billion during July–March FY26.

Despite a marginal decline of 0.5% compared to $13.65 billion in the same period last year, the sector maintained its dominant share of approximately 60% in total exports. Within the textile sector, value-added segments, including apparel and made-up articles, showed relatively better performance compared to traditional textile categories. Exports of value-added products reached $11.299 billion, reflecting an increase of around 1% from $11.201 billion in the corresponding period of FY25.

In contrast, traditional textile exports continued to face downward pressure. Exports in this category declined by 7% to $2.284 billion during July–March FY26, compared to $2.450 billion in the same period last year, highlighting ongoing challenges in upstream segments. A review of export trends over recent years indicates fluctuations in Pakistan’s external sector performance. Total exports have experienced variations alongside changes in global demand and sectoral performance, with the current fiscal period reflecting a renewed contraction.

The report also highlights that key export markets remained largely stable, with the European Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom continuing to account for a significant share of Pakistan’s export earnings. Other destinations, including Bangladesh and China, also contributed to overall export flows. The latest figures indicate that while certain segments demonstrated resilience, substantial declines across major categories led to an overall reduction in total export earnings during the period under review.

Credit: INP-WealthPk