Chinese market: TDAP organises webinar on market opportunities for handicrafts

KARACHI: Trade Development Authority of Pakistan in collaboration with Handicraft Association of Pakistan and Trade and Consul General Trade and Investment of Pakistan in Shanghai organized a webinar on market opportunities for handicrafts products in the Chinese market.

Consul General Trade and Investment Shanghai, Hussain Haider told the participants that Shanghai textile museum agreed to hold exhibition of Pakistani handicrafts and textiles on May 18, 2021, which will later be expanded to other cities in China.

Talking about market opportunities in Shanghai and the YRD region, Consul General Shanghai also mentioned that next year a permanent Pakistan pavilion in Shanghai will be set up in China Pilot Free Trade Zone Shanghai, which will be excellent opportunity for handicraft manufacturers to display their products. Similarly, the China International Export Expo is planned to be held in November 5 - 10, 2021 and this will also provide an opportunity for the promotion of Pakistani handicraft products.

Consul General Shanghai gave an overview of the handicraft products and its sub-categories that are high in demand in the YRD region in China. He briefed about the tariff structure, the regulatory regime, major suppliers to China, and the potential handicraft products that Pakistan can export to in China. He asked the participants to actively engage with the trade mission in Shanghai and to share their product portfolios so that matchmaking exercise can be done.

Director General TDAP Islamabad Shahzad Ahmed Khan told the participants that this is the second webinar in a series of webinars with trade and investment officers abroad for tapping market opportunities in the handicrafts sector. The first four countries identified for these webinars are China, Japan, Hong Kong, and South Korea. In the Chinese markets, TDAP has already held a webinar separately with Trade and Investment Counsellor Beijing, and plans to hold a webinar with Trade and Investment Officer Chengdu.

According to Director General TDAP Islamabad, the purpose of these webinars is to find potential exporters of handicrafts products suitable for that particular market. These exporters will then participate in a second round of webinar with the same trade and investment officer in which matchmaking exercise will be conducted with these sellers and buyers of handicraft products abroad who will be brought in by the trade and investment officer.

Shireen Arshad Khan, founder Handicraft Association of Pakistan highlighted the importance of value addition in handicrafts. Masooma Sibtain, Chairperson Committee on Women Economic Reforms stressed upon the capacity building aspect of handicraft products and said that synergized effort is required among government departments.-PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020