(14 Feb, 2018)
President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF), President AKIA, Senior Vice Chairman of the Businessmen Panel of FPCCI and former provincial minister Mian Zahid Hussain on Wednesday said that Gujrat is famous for its craftwork and cottage industries of various types like Pottery and Ceramic Goods, Furniture and Furnishers, Electrical Goods, Flower Pots, Artistic Handicrafts, Handmade Woollen Shawls, Handmade Woven Jerseys, Sweaters and Overalls. Products manufactured in over 1100 industrial units are highly demanded across the country.
The veteran business leader while talking to Gujrat’s business community said High quality Rice, Wheat, Sugarcane, Vegetables and Tobacco are main products of Gujrat. Basmati Rice of Gujrat is very popular in Pakistan and in European Markets due to its unique fragrance. Rice is a major agricultural product of Gujrat for export. Rice significantly exports from Gujrat which can further increased with Government’s assistance.
There is lot of potential to increase fan exports from Pakistan but to increase its share in the global export market, Pakistan’s exporters must find new markets like Malaysia and South Africa, and diversify into the production of industrial fans and disposable plastic fans to capture the richer consumer markets like the United States and Europe. China has a major market share in this segment.
The former minister said Government and influential political figures of the city are required to take measures to help exporters and industrialist in increasing city’s exports. The double railway track project from Lahore to Peshawar would be completed under early harvest projects of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which will bring more convenience in country-wide transportation of industrial and trading products.
Gujrat has an excellent trade potential and its exports can boost significantly, if the issues and challenges faced by its trade industry as highlighted by Gujrat chamber of commerce and industry highlights from time to time need to be resolved on immediate basis. Government is required to immediately consider the recommendations of Gujrat chamber. To meet the skilled labour force requirement of local industry, training and vocational training centres need to be established in the city.
