RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Chief Coordinator and Former Chairman Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association Jawed Bilwani has said that apparel is the largest sub-sector of textile export sector with $5.3 billion exports per annum and largest contributor to earn precious foreign exchange and largest employment provider.

During the visit of Prime Minister’s Adviser on Commerce & Textile, Abdul Razak Dawood to PHMA House, in his presentation, Bilwani said that in 1990, textile export of Pakistan stood at $3.67 billion, Bangladesh $0.98 billion and India $4.71 billion and now in 2018 the textile exports of Pakistan stood at $13.53 billion with 269 percent growth, Bangladesh $30.61 billion with 3,023 percent surge and India’s textile exports are $36.74 with 680 percent growth.

Bilwani said that in 1991 cotton production of Pakistan stood at 10 million bales (480 lbs), India at 9.7 million bales (480 lbs) while in 2017 Pakistan stand at 8.20 million bales (480 lbs) with 18 percent decrease, India stands at 28.70 with 205 percent growth. He said that the main reasons behind the slow growth in exports is that the exporters are facing tough competition with neighbouring countries due to high cost of doing business on one hand while there is persistent liquidity crunch on the other hand.He said that the severe liquidity crunch lead to lower production and closure of a number of exporting industries resulted in drop of textile exports. Jawed Bilwani voiced that policy decisions of the Government must be sustainable and continuous. He further demanded that in extended Prime Minister’s Export Package for three years, the imperative role of association is missing which should be included for the sustainability of the associations.

Bilwani emphasised that the value added textile sector needs special attention of the government to achieve milestone in exports in this connection, the government has to take crucial steps and decisions to enhance per hectare yield of the cotton crop, cotton contamination and development of seeds.

Zubair Motiwala Chairman CAPTA in his keynotes appreciated the government for not increasing the gas tariff for the export sectors and announcement to separate tariff in utilities structure for export sectors. He urged that the cost of doing should be brought down at par with regional competitors to make us competitive in the international market and this will benefit the entire manufacturing chain.