Exports rise 7pc in Jul-Dec

Exports rose 7.15 percent year-on-year to $17.92 billion in the first half of the fiscal year, maintaining the growth momentum largely on the back of garments, jute, jute goods and furniture.

Bangladesh also beat the export target for July-December by 0.23 percent, according to the Export Promotion Bureau.

Alone in December, exports receipts stood at $3.09 billion, up 8.42 percent over the same month in the last fiscal year. The monthly target was, however, missed by 1.84 percent.

Garments, which account for more than 80 percent of Bangladesh's total exports, logged in $14.77 billion in the first six months, up 7.75 percent from the same period a year ago.

Knitwear exports went up 11.47 percent year-on-year to $7.60 billion in July-December while shipment of woven garments rose 4.08 percent to $7.18 billion.

Home textiles brought in $407.73 million, growing 15.65 percent year-on-year.

Exports of leather and leather goods, the second largest export earning sector after garments, fell 1.21 percent year-on-year to $620.27 million in the period. The segment was dealt a blow by a decline in leather shipment which shed 27.84 percent.

Within the same category, exports of leather footwear grew 8.52 percent and leather products 2.81 percent.

Export of jute and jute goods, another top earner, jumped 21.48 percent to $574.06 million. In the category, jute yarn and twine saw their earnings rise 33.31 percent while shipment of raw jute fell 19.83 percent and those of jute sacks and bags decline 6.21 percent.

Export of frozen fish, live fish and shrimp increased 7.17 percent to $312.46 million in the first half of 2017-18.

Pharmaceuticals raked in $50.36 million in July-December, up 11.66 percent compared to that in the same period a year ago. Furniture shipment grew 27.20 percent to $23.99 million.

Agricultural products fetched $310.36 million, up 19.84 percent during the July-December period last fiscal year, according to EPB data. Fruit exports surged 517.14 percent.

The country shipped goods worth $34.66 billion in the last fiscal year and aims to earn $37.50 billion this fiscal year.

The government expects to bring in more than $60 billion by 2021 from exports.

Garment manufacturers say apparel shipment should grow 12-15 percent a year to hit the $50 billion export target by 2021.