The export of footwear from the country witnessed an increase of 2.62 percent during the first month of the current fiscal year (2024-25) as compared to the exports of the corresponding last year. The country exported footwear worth US$ 11.793 million during July 2024 as opposed to the export of US$ 11.491 million during July 2023, showing growth of 2.62 percent, according to the data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Among the footwear products, the exports of leather footwear witnessed a decrease of 1.24 percent, from US$ 9.570 million to US$ 9.452 million during the month under review. The canvas footwear exports also decreased by 43.64 percent by going down from US$ 0.286 million last year to US$ 0.161 million, the PBS data revealed. However, the exports of all other footwear rose by 33.31 percent to US$ 2.180 million from US$ 1.635 million same month last year. Meanwhile, on a month-on-month basis, the exports of footwear decreased by 21.92 percent during July 2024, in contrast to the exports of US$ 15.104 million in June 2024, the PBS data revealed. On a month-on-month basis, the exports of leather and canvas footwear decreased by 21.94 and 14.17 percent respectively, in addition, the exports of all other footwear also decreased by 22.37 percent. Apparel exports: Pakistan’s exports of men’s and women’s apparel to China have been increased by approximately five percent reaching over $18.03 million in the first seven months of the year, said the latest data from General Administration of Customs of China (GACC). Commercial Counsellor at the Pakistan Embassy in Beijing, Ghulam Qadir highlighted the growing popularity of Pakistani apparel in China, attributing this trend to the superior quality and competitive pricing of the products. He also emphasized Pakistan’s strategic advantage in land trade with China, coupled with the zero-tariff benefits under the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA). “In the first seven months of 2024, Pakistan exported $13.10 million worth of men’s clothing to China, while women’s apparel exports stood at $4.93 million. These figures mark an increase from the same period last year, where men’s clothing exports were $12.65 million and women’s were $4.66 million,” Qadir told the China Economic Net (CEN).