Export earnings rise 13.84pc in July-Aug

Country's earnings from exports grew 13.84 per cent to $6.62 billion during the first couple of months of the current fiscal year (FY), 2017-18.
A notable rise in apparel export had a role in the growth.
The earnings also surpassed the target set for the period by 7.96 per cent, according to official data, released by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) on Sunday.
The country fetched $5.82 billion during the corresponding period of the last FY.
The single month earnings in August 2017 stood at $3.64 billion, marking a 10.71 per cent growth against the earnings amounting to $3.28 billion in the same month of last year.
Officials and exporters termed the growth a good sign. They opined that euro rebounded against dollar in recent months, and Bangladesh exporters to the European markets reaped benefit out of it.
Earnings from export of RMG products during July-August of FY 2017-18 grew by 14.05 per cent to $5.52 billion, which was $4.84 billion during the corresponding period of last fiscal, according to EPB data.
The country earned $2.86 billion from knitwear export during the period, which marked an increase of 16.02 per cent compared to that of $2.47 billion in the corresponding period.
The earning from woven garments in the first two months of FY 18 grew by 11.99 per cent to $2.65 billion, from $2.37 billion in the same period of FY 17.
Mahmud Hassan Khan, vice president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), termed the RMG export growth 'encouraging'.
He, however, said it would not be wise enough to make any comment on the sector's performance based on only two months' data.
Despite a declining trend in apparel products' prices in the global market, the recent export data shows that export volumes in the major markets have increased, he noted.
According to the EPB data, export earnings from the US, the country's single largest export destination, increased by 10.23 per cent to $1.10 billion during July-August of current FY. The amount was $997.51 million in the same period of last fiscal.
Export earnings from the second largest destination - Germany - grew by 8.78 per cent to $1.06 billion during July-August of FY 18. It was $976.51 million in the same period of last fiscal, according to official data.
Export earnings from the UK, the third largest export destination for Bangladesh, increased by 29.30 per cent to $783.81 million during the first two months of FY 18, from $606.16 million in the same period of FY 17.
The EPB data showed that earnings from jute and jute goods during the July-August period of current fiscal grew by 10.34 per cent to $155.31 million, from $140.75 million in the same period of FY 17.
The country fetched $248.16 million from leather and leather product exports in the first two months of FY 18, marking a 9.54 per cent growth during the period.
Frozen food and fish exports in the first two months of FY 18 grew by 39.64 per cent to $124.99 million in this July-August.
[email protected]