The export of textile products in the first half of the current financial year grew 4.33 per cent compared to the corresponding period of previous year.

The export also depicted a growth of 13.80 per cent in the month of December of the current financial year compared to December of 2005-06, and increased by 12.89 per cent compared to November of the current financial year, according to the latest data released by Federal Bureau of Statistics showed on Friday.

Following poor performance in the earlier part of current financial year, the textile exports' gains in the two consecutive months of November and December have brought a sigh of relief to the economic managers of the country, which were perturbed over the lacklustre performance of the export oriented textile sector.

It also augured well for the future exports, analysts of foreign trade opined and noted that it indicates that export of textile products has started recovering from turbulent times it has been facing since the beginning of current financial year.

The export of textile products stood at $976.40 million in December of 2006-07, compared to $857.99 million in the same month of the last financial year and $864.93 million in November of the current financial year.

The textile products export stood at $5.318 billion in the July-December period of 2006-07 compared to $5.097 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The official statistics showed that major export textile categories, which underperformed in the beginning of this year, recovered and posted gains in the first half except cotton cloth and bedwear.

The export of knitwear, cotton yarn, readymade garments and art, silk and synthetic textile posted gains in the period under review compared to the same period of previous year.