Daily Times

KARACHI: “Made in Pakistan” should be a hallmark for five industrial export sectors, members of export-oriented industrial sectors emphasised.

The industrialists and businessmen believe “this will end the forgery on an international level where Pakistani products are being re-exported in the name of forging exporters.”

Agha Saiddain of Pakistan Tanners Association, Ghulam Rabbani of Pakistan Yarn Merchants Association, Sanaullah Khan, Chairman of All Pakistan Marble Mining Processing Industry and Exports Association, Aamir Bhinder of Surgical Instrument Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Pakistan all stated that a multi-pronged strategy, visionary approach, and facilitative policy was required for this with continual penetration in the different markets of the world with innovative and the best quality products and services.

Textiles is the leading export sector but many textile products are also being re-exported with other brand names through third country exports.

The textile sector envisages enhancing the exports from the current $10 billion to $25 billion within the next five years.

Exporters are to develop the websites of their companies, which would only cost them few dollars but in return, they would reap benefits worth thousands of dollars.

The second prime export sector is leather, and leather products are also facing the same dilemma of brand forging in many products. This is especially the case with leather jackets, gloves, and other related items, where the brand name is being replaced by some importing counterfeiters.

The export of surgical instruments and semi and unfinished products that are repackaged forgeries, are the most critical components for the decline in the surgical instrument exports. The leak of production technology is the major source.

“Both India and China only repack or stamp Pakistan-made instruments and sell them as their own brands.”

India and China have no manufacturing or technical skills in this field, and are rapidly penetrating the surgical business only by engaging in forged rebranding with the full support and assistance from their respective governments.

The estimated world market of the surgical instruments industry is currently around $31 billion and growing gradually, whereas our exports hover between $318 million.

“We are the largest suppliers of medical instruments to the United States of America, central European countries, and Japan etc.”

The lack of brand development is a major issue concerning our industries. Brand development is an exercise which cannot be done by a company due to the fact it requires huge resources and expertise and support from the government.

There is unmatched wide variety of marble, which was present in Pakistan from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Karachi.

Pakistan’s marble could be projected further in the international market through its brand name.

The Pakistan Software Export Board has projected that the country’s information technology (IT) exports will increase to $5 billion by 2020 and $10 billion by 2025 compared to the current $2.8 billion.

The brand name should be aired on an international level to help achieve the set targets.

Exports through freelancers are around $200 million per year while through proper channels it is projected to stand at around $661 million for the 2017 fiscal year.

The flourishing growth of Pakistan’s different sector exports have set themselves on the track of nonstop growth.

“Value-addition has been introduced in the fruit sector especially in citrus for reaping benefits of the huge production we have in the country. In this connection, business deals among different juice extraction and manufacturing companies of various countries and our exporters are in the making. However the brand name should be there to maximize full export earning benefits,” exporters asserted.

“The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan was actually a platform where we ensured networking among businessmen or exporters, commercial counselors of different countries, customs officials and taxmen, policymakers, and procedures planners.”

TDAP is doing its job to promote Pakistan’s brands in different countries through the exchange of trade delegations, representatives in various renowned trade fairs, export promoting conferences and hosting seminars on different issues.