Furniture industry can dominate global markets
Pakistan’s furniture industry has immense potential to dominate global markets with innovative designs and could significantly contribute to exports Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) Chief Executive Officer Kashif Ashfaq on Tuesday.
However, he said that it direly needed a package of incentives and facilitation for boosting exports. Talking to a delegation of furniture manufacturers, he said, “Unfortunately, the furniture sector remained badly neglected. It needs special attention of the federal and provincial governments for training of woodworkers on modern lines.”
He said there is an urgent need to explore the international market for boosting our exports as there is a lot of potential in Pakistani products, adding that the value of furniture export was very nominal but the beginning had been made, and with aggressive marketing strategy the value of exports could be doubled in a short span.
He said that if the government extends its support to furniture companies, the volume of export could touch the figure of $5 billion in the next five years. He said the leather industry is also associated with furniture and he assured the furniture producers that they would provide them world class leather to be used in furniture making.
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He urged the businessmen to work extensively to promote local industry in Pakistan. “Pakistan is blessed with abundant resources and our people are equipped with the best of skills that can help develop the country on modern lines.”
Ashfaq said the PFC was committed to supporting Pakistan’s young entrepreneurs associated with the furniture and interior designing sector whose innovative thinking had the potential to unlock great economic prosperity.
He said exhibitions provide the young designers and architects to assess market trends and display their own work alongside that of more established professionals. He said Interior Pakistan was a step towards initiating international trade exhibitions and also to enhance possibility to participate in international exhibitions as a collaborative industry from Pakistan.
The PFC chief expressed hope that under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the furniture sector would prosper. He said that the business community had pinned high hopes on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government, adding that Imran Khan’s government was committed to providing all facilities to businessmen to enhance the volume of exports.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 21st, 2021.
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