The USAID, World Bank and European Union are likely to assist Pakistan in National Strategy Development, value chain analysis and cluster mapping of marble and granite sector. Sanaullah Khan, member of the Marble Sector Working Group (MSWG), constituted by the Government, told Business Recorder here that MSWG is working with international players to bring about desired reforms in this sector. The Group is in contact with the above agencies in this connection, he added. According to estimates, NWFP, Fata and Balochistan have huge marble reserves but so far no scientific study has been conducted to map these resources.
Sanaullah, who is also Chairman of All Pakistan Marble Industries Association (APMIA), has suggested following trade policy initiatives after consultation with APMIA members and other relevant stakeholders: Marble and granite quarries should be accepted as collateral for the purpose of bank loans facilities, and machinery and processing industry machinery be exempted from customs duty and sales tax.
At present, he said, marble and granite extraction is mainly carried out through blasting, which results in wastage up to 70 percent, thus increasing cost of production. By using dynamite for blasting, the whole rock structure is destroyed. He, therefore, has proposed that blasting should be banned after one year of duty-free import of quarrying machinery is allowed ie from July 1, 2006. Immediate ban on blasting has not been suggested as it would cripple the supply chain and the processing units currently in use would not be in a position to continue their production.
Freight subsidy up to 25 percent on import of machinery may be granted to marble and granite lease holders/operators of quarries and processing units.
There is a growing awareness around the world on the significance of SME clusters. These are important settings for enhancing the competitiveness, growth and productivity of SMEs.
In fact, as opposed to common belief, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) defines ''cluster'' as a sectoral and geographical concentration of enterprises, especially small scale enterprises, facing common opportunities and threats. There is a demand that marble and granite sector may be declared ''a cluster'' and all facilities being extended for cluster development be extended to this sector.
KPT and Port Qasim authorities should arrange special forklift cranes for loading of marble and granite blocks into box containers, as open containers are expensive and exporters cannot use box container facility due to non-availability of specialised cranes.
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