Daily Times

KARACHI: There is a dire need to create awareness and to develop export potential of marble sector of the country in commercial sections of foreign missions.

In several countries, 90 percent of the people related to this sector were still not aware of the fact that Pakistan is one of the largest exporters of marble in the world.

The commercial officers in Pakistan missions are unaware of the quality and the potential of exports and needs of importers in these countries as they are not recruited on merit.

The absence of competent commercial attaches at the Pakistan missions especially in Russia, China, Jordan, Vietnam and some European countries is causing huge export losses to the country.

Even the mission commercial officers are not aware that Pakistan has the largest stone deposits and has status as a potential supplier to the world.

Sanaullah Khan of All Pakistan Marble Mining Processing Industry and Exporters Association (APMMPIEA) said the government authorities prepare policies without prior consultation with relevant industry and then expect from the business community to mould according to the policy. Even commercial sections in foreign missions were unaware of the function of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and about new avenues for trade and investment in these countries, vital for boosting the competitiveness of Pakistan’s economy.

Khan said China has been a leading buyer of Pakistan’s Black and Gold Stone, Indus Stone called as Yellow Jhangshahi, excavated in Sindh besides Onyx blocks from Pakistan.

He said China is a huge consumer rather than a marketplace only. The stone blocks are exported to China where they are processed to slates or tiles before being exported again.

In view of the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) of Jordan with the USA, EFTA States, Preferential Trade Agreement with Singapore, and its easy access and trading relations with the neighbouring countries Jordan itself offers excellent prospects for exporters of Pakistani goods both for local consumer as well as exporters.

Concerned ministry should call the genuine private sector exporting bodies in order to seek their suggestion in forming strategy to tap these markets.

TDAP and Pakistan Stone Development Company to revitalise their policies in consultation with the concern ministries in order to inform the world about the Pakistan’s potential in the sector.

According to estimates, there are more than 160 million tonnes of marble and more than 415 million tonnes of granite reserves in the country, out of which 98 percent are in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Mining and quarry contribute nearly 0.6 percent to Pakistan’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP) with an estimated value addition of Rs 2.8 billion. Pakistan get only 1 percent share in world total production. The process of extraction of marble and granite is very out dated and obsolete. We still use explosives to blast the blocks resulting not only in a high wastage (up to 73 percent), but also smaller stone size.