Despite the fact that most of the categories of the textile quotas to the European Union (EU), remained under-utilised the arrival at the ports of entry of member states is higher when compared with the export visas issued by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), during the quota year 2003.
According to the figures available at the Website of the European Union, arrival situation as on January 2, 2004, in all the EU categories was higher against the original utilisation of the quantities exported on the visas issued by the EPB, for shipments to EU States.
The natural position should have been that the arrival of the shipments at ports of entry should not have exceeded the quantum or number of visas issued by the EPB.
Textile exporters say that even if the fastest mode of communication was used, such as electronic mailing (email), still the arrival of the shipments should have remained below or equal to the quantum or number of visas issued by the EPB.
The higher arrival is more evident in the fast running or hot categories, EU categories which further makes us think that, what was going on and what was the back-ground of all this, which definitely needs to be sorted out.
The arrival figures of the shipments to the EU's ports of entry as made available of their website disclose that the category 6 items, have been utilised up to January 2, 2004 at 97.95 percent whereas the quota supervisory council (QSC), website discloses that utilisation of this quota is 97 percent.
This clearly means that the arrival at the EU's port of entry has been higher.
Similarly the arrival of the category 9 towels at the EU's port as shown by its website stood at 95.80 percent but the QSC is showing its utilisation at 95.15 percent.
Again there is a higher arrival at the port entry against the exports visas issued by the EPB.
Another fast running category is no 20 ie bed-linen, its arrival figures as shown by the EU's website on January 2, 2004, stood at 99.17 whereas the QSC website shows its utilisation at 98.71 percent again this category arrival at port of entry is higher then its utilisation.
Based on the above, I request all concerned to please look into the matter.
Karachi.
(Chairman, Pakistan Cotton Fashion Apparel Manufacturers and Exporters Association)