Expo Pakistan: ‘Europe to import mangoes’

Pakistani commercial attachés play active role in the exhibition.

KARACHI: Arrangements to start shipping Pakistani mangoes to Europe have been finalised and the country will be able to export mango consignments to Europe in the near future, according to Pakistan’s Commercial Attaché in Holland Muhammad Ashraf.

Speaking to The Express Tribune during the first day of the 6th Expo Pakistan being held at the Karachi Expo Centre from October 20-22, he said that “this will be a landmark achievement for us because it will turn around the business dynamics of Pakistani mango in European countries”.

Pakistani commercial attachés representing European countries played an active role in the exhibition trying to arrange business-to-business meetings of foreign buyers with local businesses. Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Chief Executive Tariq Puri said that all commercial attachés of Pakistan had been asked to do their best to bring in more and more investors to expo.

TDAP is confident about achieving its target of getting orders worth more than a $100 million the participating foreign companies and delegates. It further expects to revive the interests of foreign companies in Pakistani products from this four-day exhibition.

China and Japan also have a significant presence in terms of number of stalls and product diversity in the exhibition. Most of the exhibitors were from the technology sector. The Japanese pavilion showcased major Japanese carmakers like Suzuki, Toyota and Honda under one roof to show the significance of Japanese investment in Pakistan.

Talking to The Express Tribune, a Japanese investor said owing to security problems, few Japanese businesspersons had opted to participate in the expo. “Despite unsatisfactory security situation in Pakistan, Japanese companies want to diversify their investment in Pakistan. New investors usually come and meet government officials instead of coming to such exhibitions,” he added.

After inauguration the event on Thursday, Commerce Minister Amin Fahim said that during the last few years some countries had advised their investors not to invest in Pakistan owing to security issues, but now foreign investors are again showing an interest in investing in Pakistan.

Some 600 foreign businesspersons are participating in the 6th Expo Pakistan representing 52 countries from 25 different sectors. There are over 300 stalls in the exhibition including over 30 stalls in Chinese and Japanese pavilions.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2011.