Fiscal year 2005-06: Exports exceeded targets in 4 months

By Tanveer Ahmed

KARACHI: Exports from the country fell short of set targets in most of the months of last fiscal year, but registered overall growth over the previous year.

The month-wise export figures suggest that of 11 months of fiscal year 2005-06, exports in seven months fell short of monthly targets whereas in just four months, the exports not only met the target but also exceeded it.

With total exports falling short of whole year target of $17 billion, the exports on month-o-month basis also depict a dismal picture.

In first month July of last fiscal year, the exports were $1.269 billion against the target of $1.297 billion, achieving 97.9 percent target. In August, exports were $1.401 billion against the target of $1.404 billion, achieving 99.8 percent target.

In September, exports stood at $1.483 billion, exceeding the target by 109.4 percent of $1.356 billion. In October 2005-06, the total exports were $1.325, crossing the target of $1.300 billion by 101.9 percent. In the month of November, the exports stood at $1.113 billion, falling short of $1.178 billion by 94.5 percent. In December, country exported $1.455 billion, up by 106.8 percent of $1.363 billion.

In January 2006, the exports achieved a 85.6 percent target by standing at $1.225 billion against the monthly target of $1.431 billion whereas in February, exports fell short of target and achieved only 96.2 percent target by standing at $1.229 billion against the target of $1.278 billion.

The export in March stood at $1.521 billion, exceeding the target of $1.484 billion. In April, exports again fell short of their monthly target by achieving 95.5 percent target. Exports during this month stood at $1.451 billion over the target of $1.520 billion.

Whereas in May, the exports were $1.489 billion and achieved the 94.8 percent target against the target of $1.570 billion.

However, Tariq Ikram, Chairman of the Export Promotion Bureau, (EPB) views it in a different way. “There might be several reasons, which could cause any shortfall in any particular months, but it should be seen on an annual basis, where we witnessed growth over the preceding years”, he contended.

When asked about the total exports falling short of whole year target, the chief of export promoting body said that if we remain far behind the target, then we can say that the target set was unrealistic.

But if exports are falling 400-500 million dollars behind the target, hecontended, you cannot call it a big setback. It would also be a big success when you see the exports of whole year compared with where we are standing six years back.

Tariq Ikram acknowledged that exports in last three months of last fiscal fell short of our expectations otherwise in the first half, the things are moving in the right direction

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