Non-textile exports fall in FY26
ISLAMABAD: Exports of non-textile goods plunged 13.77 per cent to $12.21 billion in FY26, down from $14.16bn in the preceding year, as shipments of agricultural produce and value-added products suffered steep declines. The downturn underscores mounting...
Pakistan’s non-textile exports fell sharply in fiscal year 2026, reflecting broad-based weakness in agriculture-linked shipments and only limited gains in a few industrial categories, according to data compiled by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics and reported by Dawn Business.
The total value of non-textile exports dropped 13.77 per cent to $12.21 billion in FY26 from $14.16 billion a year earlier. The decline was driven mainly by lower earnings from agricultural goods and value-added farm products, which came under pressure from softer demand in overseas markets and reduced shipment volumes.
Agriculture was the biggest drag on export performance. Earnings from the sector fell 29.49 per cent to $5.02 billion in FY26, compared with $7.12 billion in the previous year. The simultaneous fall in both value and quantity suggests exporters faced weaker international prices as well as waning demand in key destination markets.
Non-agricultural exports, by contrast, posted a modest rise of 3.15 per cent, reaching $7.19 billion from $6.97 billion. Even so, the improvement was limited to a handful of segments and was not enough to offset the steep decline in farm-based shipments.
Engineering goods were one of the brighter spots. Exports in the category rose 5.64 per cent, supported by stronger shipments of industrial machinery, transport equipment, electric fans, auto parts and rubber tyres. Cement exports also showed resilience, with value increasing 4.02 per cent year on year, although quantity slipped 4.07 per cent.
The footwear segment showed mixed results. Overall footwear exports declined 0.47 per cent in FY26. Growth in “other footwear,” which rose 33.02 per cent, helped soften the impact of losses in more traditional categories. Leather footwear exports fell 5.22 per cent, while canvas footwear recorded the steepest drop, down 33.02 per cent.
Leather manufacturing as a whole posted only a slight increase of 0.64 per cent. That was helped by a 7.92 per cent rise in leather garments and a 5.78 per cent increase in other leather manufacturers. Leather gloves, however, fell 5.15 per cent, and raw leather exports declined 6.35 per cent, pointing to continued weakness in less processed segments.
Other categories also moved unevenly. Exports of surgical instruments, a long-standing Pakistani product line, remained almost flat, with a negative growth rate of 0.03 per cent. Carpet and rug exports fell 20.22 per cent during the year, while sports goods rose 10.08 per cent, led by an 11.72 per cent increase in football exports.
The report also noted a 2.68 per cent decline in gur exports, which was linked mainly to the closure of the Torkham border.
This article is based on a monitored public feed from Dawn Business and compiled from the published data. Source attribution is provided below.
Source: Dawn Business - https://www.dawn.com/news/2017156/non-textile-exports-fall-in-fy26
