BAFL 52.51 Increased By ▲ 2.48 (4.96%)
BIPL 22.80 Increased By ▲ 0.39 (1.74%)
BOP 5.68 Increased By ▲ 0.26 (4.8%)
CNERGY 5.09 Increased By ▲ 0.04 (0.79%)
DFML 19.35 Increased By ▲ 0.17 (0.89%)
DGKC 80.80 Increased By ▲ 0.65 (0.81%)
FABL 33.10 Increased By ▲ 0.25 (0.76%)
FCCL 20.23 Decreased By ▼ -0.02 (-0.1%)
FFL 10.57 Increased By ▲ 0.92 (9.53%)
GGL 13.62 Increased By ▲ 0.02 (0.15%)
HBL 130.17 Increased By ▲ 8.83 (7.28%)
HUBC 122.62 Increased By ▲ 0.12 (0.1%)
HUMNL 8.05 Increased By ▲ 0.05 (0.63%)
KEL 4.45 Increased By ▲ 0.48 (12.09%)
LOTCHEM 27.92 Decreased By ▼ -0.16 (-0.57%)
MLCF 42.70 Increased By ▲ 0.50 (1.18%)
OGDC 125.61 Increased By ▲ 4.28 (3.53%)
PAEL 21.35 Increased By ▲ 1.12 (5.54%)
PIBTL 6.12 Increased By ▲ 0.32 (5.52%)
PIOC 118.00 Increased By ▲ 2.10 (1.81%)
PPL 113.85 Increased By ▲ 3.10 (2.8%)
PRL 31.80 Increased By ▲ 2.22 (7.51%)
SILK 1.10 Increased By ▲ 0.02 (1.85%)
SNGP 69.40 Increased By ▲ 0.37 (0.54%)
SSGC 13.72 Increased By ▲ 0.02 (0.15%)
TELE 9.24 Increased By ▲ 0.49 (5.6%)
TPLP 14.75 Increased By ▲ 0.08 (0.55%)
TRG 92.85 Increased By ▲ 1.55 (1.7%)
UNITY 27.50 Increased By ▲ 0.25 (0.92%)
WTL 1.66 Increased By ▲ 0.03 (1.84%)
BR100 6,815 Increased By 167.1 (2.51%)
BR30 24,245 Increased By 677 (2.87%)
KSE100 66,224 Increased By 1505.6 (2.33%)
KSE30 22,123 Increased By 529.1 (2.45%)
Print Print 2023-05-22

Letters of credit: Banks asked to facilitate: Export-oriented sectors find favour with Dar

  • Finance minister reiterates government’s resolve to overcome challenges and set the economy towards growth
Published May 22, 2023

ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has directed commercial banks to facilitate export-oriented sectors to open LCs for raw material, machinery, spare parts and other items to restore the industry’s supply line without any reference to SBP, well informed sources told Business Recorder.

Last month, Finance Minister held a meeting with a delegation of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) which was attended by Syed Naveed Qmar, Minister for Commerce, S M Tanveer, Minister for Energy (Punjab), Governor SBP, SAPM on Revenue, Secretary Finance, Chairman FBR, Secretary Power Division, Additional Secretary Petroleum, Additional Secretary Commerce and other senior officers of the relevant Ministries.

According to the Record Note, the Finance Minister highlighted the economic and financial outlook of the country. He reiterated the government’s resolve to overcome the challenges and set the economy towards growth.

Textile industry to be backed for achieving export-led growth: Dar

Patron-in-Chief of APTMA Gohar Ijaz and other representatives of the Association highlighted their issues.

According to APTMA, import of approximately 10 million cotton bales would be required to retain exports at the same level as last year of $19.3 billion, but import of cotton and other raw materials has been restricted and banks are not opening LCs or retiring cotton or PSF imports through cash against documents.

It was highlighted that import restrictions and problems are affecting function of factories and the industry is running out of stock.

APTMA further informed that the price differential between effective electricity prices in Punjab and Sindh is more than 3.65 times, with Export Oriented Units (EOUs) in Sindh generating electricity at Rs. 11/ kWH from gas provided at $ 4/ MMBtu while Punjab gets limited availability of gas/ RLNG at $ 9/MMBtu. It was stated that the cross-subsidies make Pakistan’s textile sector less competitive and impact the export potential of the country.

It was highlighted that after March 1, 2023, the only available energy for EOUs in Punjab is grid electricity at over Rs. 40/kWh, which will shift available orders to cheaper alternatives internationally and within Pakistan.

APTMA proposed dedicated power plant exclusively for textile sector, with sufficient gas allocation to meet energy requirements of this sector and a feasible wheeling/ open access charge that excludes cross-subsidy and stranded costs.

It was also suggested that uniform gas price based on Weighted Average Cost (WACOG) is essential for any scheme to work and stressed creating a level playing field within the country by implementing a uniform gas price policy for the export industry across the country.

It was highlighted that export industries located in industrial estates are being denied regionally competitive energy tariffs for the past three years.

APTMA representatives maintained that export sector is currently facing a severe liquidity crisis due to the prolonged wait times for sales tax refunds, which can take up to 8 months, compounded by the high 24% interest rate.

The Finance Minister acknowledged that it is time to take proactive measures to address the challenges faced by this vital sector.

He appreciated the contribution of APTMA in economic growth of the country and committed to provide maximum support of the government to the textile industry in order to boost the export-led growth of Pakistan. Moreover, the Finance Minister directed the relevant authorities to address and resolve their issues on a priority basis for the textile sector.

Following decisions were taken: (i) Secretary Power to work with APTMA on the proposal of a dedicated Power Plant for supply of electricity to the power sector; (ii) consideration of cotton imports as a separate category to ensure its expeditious clearance and facilitating clearance of imports of Export Oriented Sectors/Zero-Rated Industries which have arrived at ports on priority; and (iii) prioritize the export-oriented sectors to open LCs for raw material machinery, spare parts and other items to restore the industry’s supply line without any reference to SBP - all banks to be informed accordingly.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023

Comments

Comments are closed.

Tulukan Mairandi May 22, 2023 07:10am
Most exporters have already lost their most lucrative export customers. Too little too late
thumb_up Recommended (0)
Owais May 22, 2023 10:39am
Our industrialist always look for their own interest will never invest on research human resources health and safety perks n packages of employees never hire people on paper. Always try to push govt to give them benefits.... How long will it continue ...
thumb_up Recommended (0)
Rana Aamir May 22, 2023 11:45am
He is lying. Business is stuck in Pakistan when he came finance minister. Our rupees is depreciating very badly.
thumb_up Recommended (0)
bonce richard May 22, 2023 05:04pm
@Tulukan Mairandi, Bangladesh captured the whole world in textiles and garments. Although we are cotton growing country our leaders never want to develop our country.
thumb_up Recommended (0)
Shah May 22, 2023 06:13pm
@Rana Aamir , Indeed he is a professional liar responsible for destruction of Pakistan economy with the sponsorship of apoliticals.
thumb_up Recommended (0)
Shah May 22, 2023 06:14pm
@bonce richard, Bangladesh has no Shariffs, Zardari, Haji and Hafiz.
thumb_up Recommended (0)
Muhammad aumair May 22, 2023 10:07pm
APTMA once again manupulate government why government accept demand for APTMA this is big mafia and always runa duna chru and all government scheme like DLTL scheme and refinance scheme misused please look into matter most urgent
thumb_up Recommended (0)
Boncr May 23, 2023 04:04am
@Shah, excellent.
thumb_up Recommended (0)
shahzad May 23, 2023 06:12am
This is the person who destroyed the entire economy of Pakistan. This is the one who boasted that I would hold the dollar firmly by the neck and controlling the IMF is my left-handed prowess.
thumb_up Recommended (0)

Letters of credit: Banks asked to facilitate: Export-oriented sectors find favour with Dar

No signs of stopping: KSE-100 settles above 66k, gains over 1,500 points

Palestinian Authority working with US on postwar plan for Gaza

Inter-bank: rupee sees 9th consecutive gain against US dollar

PML-N demands not power, but accountability: Nawaz Sharif

Open market: rupee edges higher against US dollar

Five terrorists killed in Tank IBO: ISPR

Former finance minister Shaukat Tarin quits PTI, politics

Imran’s statement on Afghan refugees an attempt to gain ‘sympathy of Afghan govt’: info minister

Pakistan issues visa to Indian Hindu pilgrims for visit to Sindh’s Shadani Darbar

ECP issues notice to PTI regarding petitions challenging intra-party polls