Bangladesh has witnessed a 14-percent export growth in the last fiscal compared to the previous one with diversification of exportable as well as marginal rise in the value index.

Exports Promotion Bureau (EPB) officials attributed the rise in export income to the record growth of 15 categories of export products though seven other products could not reach the export target, The Bangladesh Observer reported on Tuesday.

The officials said, overall exports earning stood at 8.66 billion US dollars in the fiscal year 2004-05 (July 2004-June 2005). The amount is 1.1 billion dollars higher than that of previous year.

EPB sources said exports of iron chain registered the highest increase by 164.44 percent having no target limit.

Exports of knitwear increased by 28 percent, chemical fertilizer 61 percent, chemical 62 percent, pharmaceuticals 68 percent, agriculture products 101 percent, engineering products 103 percent while ceramics products registered the highest increase by 122 percent.

On the other hand, earnings from exports of agriculture products stood at 82 million dollars as against 41 million dollars in the fiscal 2003-04, while export of engineering products also fetched 85 million dollars against 42 million dollars target.

Increase of different categories export products are knitwear worth 2.82 billion dollars, jute goods worth 307 million dollars, chemical fertilizer worth 130 million dollars and woven garments products worth 3.6 billion dollars were exported against the targeted 3.85 billion dollars during fiscal 2004-05.

Exports earnings from textile fabrics and petroleum byproducts declined by 38 percent and the commodity products could not reach the target during the last fiscal.

Source: Xinhua