Textile exports declined by 8.63% in first two months (July-August) of the current fiscal year and the exporters fear that the 6% increased in power tariff coupled with heavy load-shedding would further affect the sector. 

A textile exporter Muhammad Yousuf said that textile industry was already overburdened and the new increase would play havoc with production, which has already come down due to power cuts.

The textile sector is already under severe strain due to escalating cost of inputs and rise in prices of overhead items, the hike would erode competitiveness and would throw exporters out of traditional markets.