Japanese top retail chain to send buying mission to Pakistan

KARACHI:AEON, the largest Japanese retail chain, will send a top level buying mission to Pakistan for exploring the possibility of purchasing goods for their stores.

This was stated by Chief Executive Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Tariq Iqbal Puri, while talking to APP on his return from Japan here Saturday.

AEON has 4500 outlets in Japan with a large annual turnover, he added.      Tariq Puri, who was a part of Pakistani delegation led by President Asif Ali Zardari that visited Japan from February 21-23, said that he had held a meeting with the president of AEON, Motoya Okada alongwith Secretary Commerce, Zafar Mehmud and Pakistani businessmen.

President Asif Ali Zardari had also held a meeting with Okada and persuaded him to buy Pakistani products for his stores, he added.

He said that AEON will send a delegation before October this year when their buying season begins. The preparation for this visit will start in July this year when TDAP will send a delegation of Pakistani exporters to Japan Fashion Week, he said.

Giving details of the meetings with top Japanese entrepreneurs and trading houses such as Marubeni and Mitsubishi, Puri said that it was decided that these houses will also market Pakistani products in Japanese market. Presently, they are procuring Pakistani products for other Asian markets, he pointed out.

He said that it was decided that Pakistan will start full scale exports of mangoes from next year as Japan has lifted a ban on the export of Pakistani mangoes from January 30, 2011.

These mangoes will be treated and cleaned by vapour heating technique to remove fruit fly.

The TDAP chief said that Pakistani rice exporters have sought Japanese technology for extracting oil from rice husk and making noodles, crackers and snacks from broken rice.

Puri said that the chairman Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) Yasuo Hayashi has assured President Zardari that his organisation will facilitate participation of Pakistani delegations in leading Japanese exhibitions at concessional rates.

In this regard JETRO will ensure availability of space for Pakistani exhibitors at concessional rates at Japan Fashion Week to be held in July this year. JETRO will also arrange meetings of Pakistani delegations with the top Japanese businessmen, he added.

The TDAP chief pointed out that President Zardari has also asked the Japanese importers to buy Pakistani textile goods as they are diverting their procurement from China to other countries due to high prices.

Japanese will consider to buy textile items from Pakistan in which our quality and prices are better than other regional countries, he added.

Talking of a breakthrough in the negotiations, he said that Pakistan has been successful in including the demand for the creation of inter-governmental framework for trade in the joint statement.

This will lead to free trade agreement between Japan and Pakistan, he said.

Tariq Iqbal Puri said that Pakistani delegation has also secured exports orders for home textile, leather goods during the visit.