Wednesday, January 23, 2008
By our correspondent

KARACHI: Pakistani exhibitors have negotiated export orders worth over $500 million in Heimtextil, International Trade Fair for Home and Contract Textiles, in Frankfurt, Germany.

Around 170 exhibitors from Pakistan participated in the world’s largest fair of home textiles and displayed their top-line home furnishings and textile made-ups. The exhibition, which recently concluded at the Fair Ground, proved to be a major blessing for Pakistani textile manufacturers who overwhelmingly received trade inquiries during the entire four days and procured orders from foreign buyers, especially European and US importers.

“Pakistani exhibitors had a little edge over their archrivals from China and India as exporters from both the countries were facing difficulties in quoting prices due to various reasons,” said Arif Elahi of Arif Textiles, Faisalabad.

He pointed out that slashing of export rebates by the Chinese government and appreciation of the yuan have reduced the profitability of Chinese manufacturers while Indian manufacturers were facing some hardships due to the appreciation of the rupee.

The majority of the exhibitors from Pakistan were of the view that they were getting very encouraging response from the US and European buyers but they were a bit reluctant in quoting prices for the long term orders due to the uncertainties at home.

The Chairman, Towel Manufacturers Association (TMA), Syed Usman Ali while commenting said that the towel exporters more or less depend on Heimtextil every year to procure orders for the season.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=92415

if we had a free trade agreement with the US and EU, we could set up a deal where our goods are always more competitively priced over our competitors.

After all, when our economy creates jobs, there will be less people susceptible to village mullah jihads.

we need to create a British and separate American lobby to push for this.

perhaps we should consult with our mill owners and producers of cotton etc before we decide to export any more, just incase they decide to horde the rest and isntantly every pakistani runs out of clothes and we have a clothes crisis.....




[end sarcasm]

No offence, but how can we produce and compete , when there is no proper environment . No electricity, from last few years cotton crop due to lack of water and cheap prices with low grade cotton from bhindia and by using bhindian cotton you cannot compete price in international market.

You are way over exaggerating.

To the point, I agree with Wing Commander. It would be smart for the US (and EU too) as it would help 'fight terror' (extremism).

I liked that.