Despite Covid-19 pandemic, Bangladesh's exports to the United States (US) have maintained a steady growth in July-April period of this fiscal.
This happened as the world's largest economy (US) imported goods worth US$5,680.24 million, up by US$645.23 million from the amount of the same period of the last fiscal (FY20) from Bangladesh.
The amount is 17.71 per cent of Bangladesh's total exports of US$ 32,072.73 million during the period, according to the latest data of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).
During July-April period of FY20, the US imported goods worth US$5035.01 million from Bangladesh.
As Bangladesh's single largest export destination, the US imported goods worth US$5,064 million from Bangladesh during the July-March period of FY21. The figure was US$3983.30 million during the July-January period of the same fiscal year.
Like the previous years, apparel items dominated the overall exports to the United States which imported woven garments worth US$3,177 million, knitwear worth US$1650.96 million while home textile items valued US$229.89 million in July-April period of FY21.
During the same period, Bangladesh fetched US$137.19 million from cap export and US$30.28 million from crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs.
Sources said Bangladesh exports to the US market will continue to rise in the days ahead as the US economy has recovered from the Covid-19 shocks following the mass vaccination of its population.
"Our overall exports to the US will increase in the days ahead, especially before the next Christmas as orders for garments and other products are on rise as the US completed mass vaccination against Covid-19," said a commerce ministry official.
After the US, Germany is the second single largest importing country from Bangladesh and during July-April period of FY21, the European country imported goods worth US$4,918.96 million, which is 15.34 per cent of Bangladesh's total exports.
Germany imported knitwear worth US$2,563.03 million, woven garments US$2,069.63 million while home textile items valued US$99.97 million. Bangladesh's export to Germany was US$4,450.80 mill8ion during the same period of the last fiscal year (FY20).
The United Kingdom (UK) is the third largest export destination of Bangladesh and during the July-April period of FY21, Bangladesh fetched US$3,170.22 million from the UK through exporting apparel items, crustaceans and bi-cycle. The export to the UK during the same period of Fy20 was US$3094.30 million.
The UK imported woven products of US$1,122.89 million, knitwear items of US$1,790.53 million, home textile products of US$82.21 million and bi-cycle valued US$37.67 million.
Other major export destinations of Bangladesh include France, Spain, Italy, Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, Japan, China, Turkey, Australia, India, Russia and Poland.
According to the EPB, Bangladesh exported different products worth US$ 1,609.34 million to France, US$1,956.75 million to Spain, US$1,079.98 million to Italy, US$938.10 million to Canada, US$577.42 million to Belgium, US$1,947.78 million to the Netherlands, US$1,004.50 million to Japan, US$ 713.97 million to Australia, US$532.63 million to Russia and US$1229.70 million to Poland.
Bangladesh's export to neighbouring India increased by US$31.08 million to US$ US$1,077.52 million during the July-April period of FY21, which was US$10,46.44 million during the same period of FY20. India imported jute and jute goods worth US$ 111.75 million, woven and knitwear garments worth US$ 368.16 million, cotton and cotton products worth US$30.26 million, leather and leather products worth US$40.17 million and plastic products worth US$10.13 million.
During the July-April period of FY21, Bangladesh's export to China was US$563.40 million, up by US$31.63 million from the same period of the last fiscal's US$531.63 million. China imported jute and jute products worth US128.56 million, woven and knitwear garments worth US$228.26 million, home textile worth US$6.41 million, leather and leather products worth US$56.07 million and footwear worth US$9.71 million.
