Leathergoods exports lead to overall decline
According to Pakistan's Federal Bureau of Statistics, the country’s leather exports fell 3.3% in March to $62.3 million compared with $64.4 million in February and 50.5% compared with March 2008 ($125.9 million).
The breakdown showed that the country exported finished leather worth $20.2 million, leathergoods worth $29.1 million and footwear worth $13.1 million compared with $17.5 million, $34.6 million and $12.4 million, respectively, in the previous month. Finished leather exports rose 15.3% and footwear exports climbed 6.1%, but leathergoods exports 16% compared with February export figures.
Total leather exports during first nine months of the year (July 2008 to March 2009) fell 18.6% to $748.6 million from $919.4 million in the same period last year.
The breakdown showed that during this nine-month period, the country exported 14.2 m² of finished leather at $225.5 million compared with 18.6 million m² at $303.5 million m² in the prior-year period. This shows a decline of 19.8% and 25.7% in terms of quantity and value.
