Exports: Textile-makers fear losing market share to rivals

Discuss challenges with economic officers of US Consulate

KARACHI:

Contrary to expectations of a significant boost to textile exports, shipments from the country have dropped over the April-September period primarily because of severe load-shedding of gas and electricity and also due to an increase in the cost of doing business compared to competitors, mainly India and Bangladesh.

All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) Sindh-Balochistan Chairman Tariq Saud said on Friday once Pakistan lost market share to other countries, it would be impossible to regain it, adding they were sure that the market share would quickly disappear if they were unable to deliver orders on time.

He said this to fellow industrialists who gathered to welcome economic officers of the US Consulate and Consul General in Karachi Aaron Tennessee Carlton, who visited the Aptma office.

Saud gave a brief overview of the current situation of the textile industry and gave descriptions of the products produced by the industry. Members of the association discussed the trade relations between the two countries and other matters of mutual interest.

They said there were many other issues plaguing the industry like law and order, high interest rates, security threat, high material costs, lack of research and the overall image of the country besides the shortage of energy that had compounded the industry’s woes.

The objective of the visit was to outline the strengths and understand the issues faced by the textile industry to be able to provide a direction to the authorities by recommending how best the US could provide trade support in the future.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 8^th, 2014.

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