Enhancement of textile exports urged

FAISALABAD: Pakistani Ambassador designated to Denmark Ahmad Farooq Monday said Faisalabad should further enhance textile exports to explore new opportunities for the export of frozen vegetables to Denmark.

Addressing the business community in Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI), Ahmad Farooq said both the countries could also launch joint ventures for value addition in Agriculture products for the benefit of the two countries.

Addressing the business community in Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI), he particularly mentioned huge trade deficit Pakistan was facing for the last many years and said we must focus on enhancing our exports to bridge the widening gap between imports and exports. He said Denmark is very small country, but a rich and developed country. He said Pakistani exports to Denmark are around $ 1.81 million while imports are $100 million.

He mentioned the exports of bed linen from Faisalabad to Denmark and said Pakistani products are comparatively cheap and much better in quality as compared to the other rival countries.

He said Pakistani bed sheets are widely used in hotels and hospitals and there is still room for further expanding its exports. He said Fuji Foundation has recently started export of frozen vegetables and being an agrarian economy and centrally located city of Pakistan, Faisalabad should also contribute its role in the export of frozen vegetables.

He said he will review the potential of Danish market so that our exporters could make arrangements for the exports of frozen vegetables at larger stage. He said there was huge untapped potential to launch joint ventures for technology transfer particularly for the value addition of agriculture products. He also mentioned Sialkot and said this city was also exporting 3 million footballs per annum.

He said there was a very small mission of Pakistan in Copenhagen, there is no dedicated Trade Officer and hence he will have to perform dual duties of trade officer as well as Ambassador. He requested the business community to cooperate with him so that he could play his role in enhancing Pakistani exports to Denmark.

Regarding Danish investment, he said that there were huge chances of technology transfer and interested exporters must remain in touch with him so that proper step could be taken to enhance our exports.

To a question, he said he will review to setup a display centre for Pakistani products in Copenhagen. Regarding value addition and technology transfer, he said Danish development agency is installing a waste water treatment plant in Faisalabad with an estimated cost of 130 million euro.

He said the business community of Faisalabad should identify more viable projects for which financial help could be sought from this agency. About image building of Pakistan, he said he will try his optimum best but the business community should also support him in brining the business community of two countries closer to each other.

About the possibilities of the export of rice, he assured that he will review the opportunities of export to Denmark so that rice exporters could make proper arrangements of its exports. FCCI president Rana Sikandar Azam said the FCCI is the 3rd largest chamber of Pakistan. He said it is known for its iconic textile sector but other segments of economy are also contributing there due role in the overall exports and uplift of the country.

He underlined the need to enhance exports and said in this connection the private sector should work in close liaison with Pakistani diplomats stationed in different countries. He also mentioned the threats of coronavirus and said it will be difficult for fragile economy of Pakistan to bear it. He hoped that the designated ambassador will point out various measures to save Pakistani exports from its negative impacts.

He said the FCCI is making serious efforts to enhance Pakistani exports and in this connection six delegations had already visited different countries. He said the FCCI also contemplating to send a trade delegation to Denmark so that our members could personally explore the business opportunities in that country.

He also requested Ahmad Farooq to identify the serious and reliable textile importers of Denmark so that Pakistani exporters could have detailed meetings with them. He also offered to organize a “Made in Pakistan Exhibition” in Copenhagen.

A documentary on Faisalabad and Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry also screened while a question-answer session was held that was attended by Shabbir Hussain Chawala, Arif Ehsan Malik, Engineer Ahmad Hassan, Mian Zahid Aslam, Mirza Shafiq, Mian Abdul Waheed, Engineer Babar Shehzad, Dr. Fazal Ullah and Amjad Khawaja.

Later, Rana Sikandar presented the FCCI shield and a bilateral trade report on Pakistan & Denmark to Ahmad Farooq while Bilal Waheed Sheikh offered vote of thanks.

Dr Sajjad Arshad, Mian Gulzar Ahmad, Haji Abid, Chaudhry Muzammal, Capt Farooq, Mian Nadeem, Mian Tanveer Ahmad, Ismail Soharwardi, Mian Amir, Chaudhry Amanat, Rana Ikram Ullah, Rana Shabbir Hussain and Rana Saeed also attended the meeting.