The two graphical representations below illustrate the value of a nation’s exports in five major groups in 2015 and 2016, as well as the percentage change in export earnings over the one-year period.
Overall, the country traded internationally five main categories of goods: petroleum products, engineered goods, gems and jewellery, agricultural products, and textiles. Among these, petroleum products and engineered goods were the leading sources of export revenue in both years, while agricultural products and textiles contributed comparatively less to the total export earnings.
In 2016, there was a noticeable decline in the value of gems and jewellery exports. This aspect experienced a decrease of 5.18%, falling from slightly above $40 billion in 2015 to just over $40 billion in 2016. This was the only department that recorded a significant drop during the period.
In contrast, textile exports showed remarkable growth. The percentage change in value increased significantly to 15.24% in 2016 compared to 2015, making textiles the fastest-growing export category. Meanwhile, agricultural products recorded only a marginal increase of 0.81%, indicating minimal growth and making it the least improved sector within the given timeframe.