Faulty marketing policies: Apparel sector loses $500 million export orders every year

The country's garments and apparel sector misses 500 million dollars worth export orders every year due to inefficient marketing strategy by the authorities, exporters believed.
They said that despite strong contacts, the exporters of garments and apparel sector of the country were losing worthy export orders as the other regional players like India and Bangladesh had come up with an effective marketing strategy, consequently fetching big export orders.
"We are compelled to lose around 500 million dollars worth garments and apparel orders as the international buyers prefer to approach Indian and Bangladeshi exporters, just because their governments believe that without effective marketing approach, they will not be able to attract foreign investments and the orders," said a leading exporter.
He acknowledged that local garment exporters were also responsible for not giving importance to marketing strategies, bringing about an inevitable decline in the export.
"Exporters' participation in the world garment exhibitions is not satisfactory, as only a few attend the exhibitions every year," said Chairman of Pakistan Readymade Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (Prgmea) Ijaz Khokhar.