Textile exporters urge govt to explore new markets

Trade missions abroad not playing due role, want more proactive officials

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani textile sector has urged the government to take pragmatic steps towards exploring non-traditional markets to increase exports.

“Now is the time to focus on non-traditional markets as huge opportunities are available,” said a recommendation paper recently submitted to the commerce ministry by the Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA).

These non-traditional markets, where huge potential exists to boost Pakistan’s exports, include South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Cuba and Canada, stated the paper.

The recommendation comes as Pakistan’s exports take a sharp dive with the current account data for September showing the deficit increasing 136%. Meanwhile, textile comprises of over half of the country’s total exports.

The association also urged the government to activate Pakistan’s trade missions abroad and rationalise activities and policies of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) towards this direction so that the objectives could be achieved.

“Trade promoting authorities and Pakistani trade missions abroad are not playing an active role in export promotion; meanwhile, representatives of competing countries are making generous efforts to explore new markets and buyers as well,” the association writes in their recommendations.

The association recommended that frequent exchange of trade delegations to emerging markets would help enhance trade opportunities and explore new space for dwindling exports.

The association also notes that billions of rupees from the Export Development Fund (EDF) were being wasted on unproductive tours of government officials.

Advice

Additional suggestions made by the association to arrest faltering exports include investment support programme compatible with the region, reduction in production costs, incentives and support to diversify product range and markets, institutional support to create conducive investment environment and a campaign to change Pakistan’s perception to retain and capture world brands and markets.

An association representative told The Express Tribune that Pakistan’s trade missions have no links with key trade bodies, association and textile sector because of which they fail to deliver. “They are just going abroad to get lucrative posting with no interest in their jobs,” commented the representative.

He mentioned that influence of the ministry must be minimal when sending trade delegations to various countries, and rather businessmen must be promoted to take the lead.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 22^nd, 2016.

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