Expo 2013: Bangladeshi businessmen place $8m worth of orders

Expo bears fruit as first big order comes from regional economy.

KARACHI:

Bangladeshi businessmen have placed orders worth $8 million for Pakistani fans, kinnow and Basmati rice during Expo Pakistan 2013 – a four-day exhibition being held at Karachi Expo Centre.

According to one agreement, GFC Fans has agreed to provide 150,000 fans to Nurul Islam, a Bangladeshi delegate representing Shuba Enterprises and Z&Z Corporation Bangladesh, a deal worth $5 million for fiscal 2014.

Another agreement amounting to $2 million took place between Tasho Enterprises Bangladesh and Roshan Enterprises Pakistan for Kinnow export to Bangladesh from November this year.

Tasho Enterprises – one of the biggest importers of fresh fruits, vegetables and dry fruit of Bangladesh – is visiting Expo Pakistan has placed an order of basmati rice to MATCO Rice worth almost half a million dollars.

Expo Pakistan is the largest trade event of the country and it is expected to attract a large number of foreign buyers this year.

Three Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) were signed between Pakistani exporters and Bangladeshi buyers at Karachi Expo Centre on Saturday. Director Investment Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Shahida Qaiser, DG Board of Investment Sindh Riazuddin Qureshi and Commercial Attache of Pakistan in Dhaka, Farah Farooq were also present.

Earlier during the day, a Bangladeshi delegation informed Secretary TDAP Rabia Javeri Agha that Pakistani products have a huge demand, especially ladies fabric and designer lawns, footwear, pharmaceutical raw material and medicines, spices, marble etc.

Agha emphasised upon the need for more active interaction and linkages between corresponding chambers of commerce and trade bodies of both the countries to promote trade ties of both countries.

Bangladeshi delegation comprising 20 members is in Karachi attending Expo Pakistan 2013.

The businessmen are leading importers of food, sports, surgical goods, food processing and textile raw material, machinery and plants. Some of these importers are already importing goods from Pakistan.

This year buyers from other potential areas like marble sector, chain super stores/retail outlets and pharmaceutical, are also attending expo.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2013.

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