The export income maintained over 15 percent growth in the first 11 months of the last fiscal indicating, an expected six-year high growth. The highest growth in the last five years (from 1998-99 to 2002-03) was 12.43 percent in 2000-01.

According to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), exporters have been able to manage larger amount of exports than the targeted amount to 26 destinations out of the total 47. The other 21 destinations failed to achieve their respective targets.

During July-May period of the last fiscal, the country fetched $1765.26 million from the US market against the strategic target of $2135.55 million. In 2002-03, Bangladesh earned $2173.36 million from exports to the US.

Among the top ten export destinations, earnings from Germany, UK, France, Italy, Sweden, Spain and Canada exceeded the targets while exports to Belgium and the Netherlands failed to touch their targeted amounts.

The EPB data show export earning from Germany was $1176.81 million or 37.76 percent higher than the target of $854.22 million. The earning from the UK stood at $866.39 million against the strategic target of $863.21 million.

During the period the country's export income from France also crossed the target by 20.22 percent to stand at $488.62 million. The target for Canada was surpassed by 18.36 percent fetching $224.79 million.

Export earning from Italy was 11.45 percent higher than the target while it was 0.20 percent higher in Sweden and 9.75 percent in Spain.

The target for Belgium fell 6.63 percent short and for the Netherlands it was 1.83 percent behind the goal.

The overall export earnings marked a 15.32 percent growth during the July-May period compared to the corresponding period of the previous fiscal. The 11-month earnings amounted to $6767.33 million against the target of $6689 million.

In FY 2002-03, the country fetched $6548.44 million from exports.