Steep fall witnessed in bedwear export

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: A steep fall has been witnessed in the export of bedwear from $ 2.1 billion to $ 1.49 billion, i.e. about $ 600 million less as compared to last year, Pakistan Bedwear Exporters Association, Chairman, Shabir Ahmed, quoting official figures said here on Monday.

“We regret to note that the export of bedwear has gone down in terms of quantity by about 16% and in value terms by about 28%,” he said adding “We have been screaming during the year that we are loosing our valuable markets and unemployment is rising in the country but our deafening demands went unheard.”

The export of bedwear had touched $ 2.1 billion mark in 2006 when there was no increase in cotton prices.

It is saddening to note that the overall export of textiles have gone down by 18%, agro food by 25%, fruits and vegetables by 30% and footwear by 15%. A number of bedwear units have closed down but unfortunately the Trade Development Authority (TDAP) and the textile ministry have turned a blind eye and have shown no concern whatsoever to arrest this declining trend in the value added textile sector, he said.

Shabir Ahmed suggested that a round table conference of all the stakeholders along with representatives from ministries of finance, power, commerce, and textile besides TDAP, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) should be invited to find the way out to arrest the declining trend as Pakistan cannot afford loosing foreign exchange earnings on the one hand and face the monster of unemployment on the other.

He also suggested that the round table conference should either be chaired by the President or the Prime Minister so that corrective measures are taken on the spot or else the economy would go down further and unemployment keep on rising and further devaluation of currency would continue.