SARMAD MAHMUD

SIALKOT: Chief Coordinator Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) Ijaz A Khokhar has said there is great need of switching over the business to protective equipment production without fail to capture the market share for fetching more than US One billion dollar easily.

Talking to media persons on Sunday here he disclosed that we are receiving large number of international inquires of masks and Personal Protective Equipment. Answering a question he said that Our competitors like Bangladesh, India, Vietnam and Cambodia had already switch over their on this sector. Ijaz was of the opinion that government should adopt aggressive approach to open export of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in both non-woven and woven fabrics in mainly white, light blue light green colours. Under the prevailing circumstances it is high time that we should seriously consider on switching over our production to Personal Protective Equipment for obtaining market share he said.

Replying to a question the PEGMEA Coordinator revealed that there was a huge demand of Coveralls, doctors gowns, patients gowns, nurses gown, cleaning staff uniforms as well as other disposable dress in different countries adding that we need daring steps at this juncture to capture demanding market share without fail and hopefully government will allowed these products we could fetch more than One billion dollars easily.

Under the prevailing situation government should allow duty free import of raw material enabling the exporter community to play its instrumental role in capturing the market share he said. Ijaz further stated that keeping view the growing demand PPE we are motivating our members that they should focus attention on this sector adding that this sector will open vistas of industrial development and generate employment opportunities for female industrial workers.

Ijaz further added that more than 800 exporting units of different sectors will soon start operation after thorough inspection by the district administration in this export hub of the country. These industrial units will resume their operation with the primary objective of protecting their employees and saving people from hunger he said.

The industry he said was bound to follow the Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) of the government to run their industrial units. Ijaz said that the reopening of export industry will strengthen credibility of exporters in global market adding that though orders of billion dollars had been cancelled or postpone by the foreign buyers but some export orders amounting to 500 million dollars are in hand and Sialkot export industry has ensured the administration to adopt preventive measures in completion of the orders.

The PRGMEA Coordinator said that Small and Medium apparel export industry was confronting with problems liquidity crunch adding that they were facing difficulties in paying utility bills, wages of workers and these problems could only be handled with the functioning of industrial units and complete export orders.

Ijaz lauded the efforts of Prime Minister Imran Khan for providing relief to export sector in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic saying that the textile value added industry contributes more than 50 percent to the national exports and it is also labour intensive which provides largest employment especially to women.