Page 476 - ES 2020-21_Volume-1-2 [28-01-21]

External Sector 103

After taking an average for last three years from 2017 to 2019, the top export commodities
in which Bangladesh had largest RCA are shown in Figure B2.3. Four of these commodities
are also among the top five export commodities (in terms of share and value) of Bangladesh.
This underscores that Bangladesh exports those commodities in which it has competitive
advantage.

Figure B2.3: Top Export Commodities having largest RCA and Export Share in Bangladesh
(Average of 2017-2019)

Average RCA (Ratio) Average Export share (in %)
70.2
Other vegetable textile fibres
1.7
39.7
Knitted or crocheted apparels
44.3
37.7
Not knitted or crocheted apparels
41.6
13.5
Headgear and parts thereof
0.7
Other made-up textile articles 7.9
2.5

Footwear, gaiters, etc. 3.2
2.4
0.0 10.0 20.0 30.0 40.0 50.0 60.0 70.0 80.0
Source: Survey calculation based on Trade Map data.
However, none of the export commodities in which India has highest RCA is among the
top export commodities (in terms of share and value) (Figure B2.4). India’s top RCA export
commodities are mainly labour-intensive such as cotton, carpets and other textiles, etc.
(second quadrant), while India exports more of capital-intensive products such as transport
equipment, machinery and mechanical appliances (fourth quadrant), etc.
Figure B2.4: Top Export Commodities having largest RCA and Export Share in India
(Average of 2017-2019)

9
Cotton
II: Competitive, I: Competitive,
8 Low Share High Share
7
Carpets and other textiles
Average RCA (Ratio) 5 4 Not knitted or crocheted Gems & Jewellery
6
Other made-up textile
articles
Cereals
apparels
3
Organic chemicals
2 Pharmaceutical products
Transport Equipment RCA=1 Petroleum Products
1 Electrical mach. &
III: Not competitive, equipment Mach. & mechanical appl. IV: Not competitive,
0 Low Share High Share
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Average Export Share (in Per cent)
Source: Survey calculation based on Trade Map data.
Note: Export share more than 5 per cent has been taken as the benchmark share as the third largest
export commodity has a share of 6 per cent.