Japan to step up textile imports from Pakistan

Asks exporters to comply with standards set by Japanese buyers

FAISALABAD: The Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) has announced that it will launch a new programme to step up imports of Pakistan’s textile products from February next year.

In this regard, a joint website of Jica and the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) has been developed in order to provide credible information about Japanese markets to exporters in Pakistan.

Disclosing this, Jica Adviser to TDAP and head of delegates, Hideaki Shimizu told industrialists here on Wednesday that Japanese buyers had their own standards as they were very conscious about product quality. “Hence, the exporters should follow their trends.”

He said Japanese importers visited the Pakistan-Japan Textile Day held recently in Lahore and engaged in productive meetings with the exporters. Such meetings would help them understand each other, he said.

Replying to a question, a Japanese importer suggested that Pakistan and Japan should enter into a free trade agreement for which the Pakistani exporters would have to exert pressure on the government.

He pointed out that Pakistan’s export consignments took 17 days to reach Japan via sea route and said the duration should be curtailed by promoting fast movement of import and export consignments.

Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) Vice President Jameel Ahmed outlined some basic issues that were hindering bilateral trade.

“The FCCI fully understands the importance of bilateral trade and in this regard we want to sign a memorandum of understanding with leading chambers of Japan,” he said. FCCI Senior Vice President Syed Zia Alamdar Hussain said though businessmen of Faisalabad were dealing with importers of the US and European Union, they had to cope with the condition of laboratory test.

He suggested that Jica should set up a laboratory that could issue certificates, particularly for Japanese markets. He also asked the Japanese agency to install a water treatment plant in Faisalabad as it was already helping the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) to manage the water supply and sewerage system.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2015.

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