The earnings during the fiscal years 2000-01 and 2001-02 were US dollar 1.06 billion and 1.07 billion respectively.

However, the export earnings during the last fiscal year were US dollar 123 million more than the previous years' income, BEPZA sources said yesterday.

They said the amount of exports from the EPZs during 2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03 constituted 16 per cent 18 per cent and 19 per cent respectively of the total national exports.

BEPZA said the industrial units under the EPZs so far exported goods worth US dollar 7227.15 million including US dollar 5134.51 million till October in 2001.

The EPZs earned US dollar 2092.64 million since the present four-party alliance government came to power, registering an increase by 40.76 per cent over the last two years.

The sources said the average investment in the EPZs over the past 20 years was US dollar 31.70 million. Due to a conducive atmosphere created by the present government, the total investment rose to US dollar 637.28 million till July this year, representing an increase by US dollar 146.85 million.

The total investment in the EPZs stood at US dollar 490.43 till October 2001 with an increase by 29.94 per cent, the sources said.

The total investments during 2001-02 financial year in the EPZ was US dollar 58 million, which rose to 103.133 million in 2002-2003 marking an increase by 85 per cent.

The sources further said that as many as 17,341 new jobs were created in the EPZs that marked 15.35 per cent increase over the last two years.