Furniture fixes: Exporters urge TDAP to resolve regulatory issues

Request made by a delegation of All Pakistan Furniture Exporters Association.

KARACHI: Leading furniture exporters have urged the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to help promote exports by resolving regulatory and marketing problems that are hindering shipments from the country.

The request was made by a five-member delegation of the All Pakistan Furniture Exporters Association (APFEA), which met TDAP Chief Executive SM Muneer here on Tuesday.

The delegation was led by APFEA Chairman Humayun Laiq and the meeting was held at the TDAP head office.

Furniture exporters suggested measures that the government should take to help the industry. They also requested the TDAP to exercise its influence and help resolve industry issues relating to other regulatory authorities.

The issues highlighted were related to customs, port clearance, pricing and shortage of raw material, meeting industry’s training and development needs, increased support for international marketing of furniture products, etc.

Most issues were pertaining to the procedural bottlenecks that delay or slow down furniture exports.

The TDAP chief assured the delegation of his cooperation in resolving the issues related to the trade authority and other agencies concerned, a TDAP press release said.

He stressed his commitment to trade and business and was of the view that the furniture industry’s export potential was much more than current exports valued at $7.4 million per year.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2015.

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