$12.1 billion export target achievable: Humayun

Pakistan will be able to achieve the $12.1 billion export target during fiscal 2003-04, said Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan.
"The anti-dumping duty on Pak bed-linen by the European Union (EU) will create some problems, but I am sure we will achieve annual $12.1 billion export target by having value-addition in some other textile products', he told UAE daily Khaleej Times.
He said so far things were moving in the right direction to increase the country's exports in different continents, specially in Africa and the Middle East, adding the government was providing all necessary fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to the exporters to substantially enhance the country's exports.
Humayun Akhtar said the trade policy for the current fiscal year provided incentives to exporters to go for value-addition and diversify exports to various countries.
The minister said a 'Textile City' was being set up at the Port Qasim in Karachi, while a similar one being built in Sunderban at Lahore, adding these cities will generate renewed activity in the country's textile sector.
He said the government is also considering offering concessionary rates of duty for import of textile machinery. A seven-year plan is being formulated which will greatly help businessmen to import textile machinery by paying less duty, he added.
He felt the single factor most important in terms of future trade, is developing "a quality culture", saying the certification of quality of a product would offer tangible benefits to all sections of business and it was this 'quality consciousness and quality culture' that needed to be created in industry on a national scale, he stressed.
"As a part of government as well as business community, I feel Pakistan has lagged behind in getting market access opportunities in spite of its comparative advantage in certain sectors primarily due to inadequate attention having been given to quality standards and direct relationships they have with international competitiveness of our products", the minister said.
Humayun Akhtar said the World Trade Organisation (WTO) is currently offering 'unprecedented' opportunities for international market access. This access can be denied if exports do not conform to the minimum acceptable international quality standards by foreign buyers, he observed.
He stressed since Pakistan has also liberalised its trade regime, there is possibility that foreign goods may displace the poor quality and less competitive locally-produced goods which makes it imperative to have across the board product standards both for locally consumed goods and export items.
"Our industry needs to realise that it will neither be able to make headway to capture international markets nor would it be able to retain its share in domestic markets without conforming to global quality culture, which is the hallmark of present day trade", said Humayun Akhtar.