Cotton yarn export quota

Apparel makers ask government not to interfere

KARACHI: The value-added textile sector asked the government to refrain from interfering in the cotton yarn export quota and demanded to be
taken on board before taking any fresh decision on it.

"Any unilateral decision will be tantamount to devastation of the downstream textile industries providing livelihood to millions of people in the
country," Pakistan Apparel Forum (PAF) Chairman Javed Bilwani stated at a press conference on Saturday.

Flanked by the leaders of 12 trade associations representing value-added textile sector, Bilwani said that PAF is the representative body of
16,000 value-added textile units of the country and employs around 18 million labour force.

Whereas, spinners just represent 350 spinning mills and employ 280,000 workers in the country," Bilwani pointed out.

Though, All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), the representative body of spinners, holds influence in power corridors, PAF chief
suggested the government not to bow down before the pressure of APTMA.

Quoting the official trade figures, he said that cotton yarn export registered 38.38 percent growth in first eight months of the current fiscal year
whereas export of cotton cloth, knitwear and readymade garments fell 18.19 percent, 12 percent and 8.39 percent, respectively in the same
period. "It reflects that the value-added sector could not fulfil the export orders because of cotton yarn shortage at a time when there is demand
for the value-added textile products," Bilwani noted.

He accused spinners of exporting huge quantity of cotton yarn, which put the downstream industries in trouble and resulted in closure of 12
percent value-added units. He pleaded that the spinners should keep the national interest supreme in view of difficulties faced by the downstream
textile industries because the persisting cotton yarn shortage would render hundreds and thousands of people jobless.

Bilwani said that the value-added sector would approach the Sindh governor just like the spinning sector, which was contacted by the Punjab
governor, if their issues were not resolved amicably because more than 50 percent of value-added industries are located in Sindh. staff report

COMPARATIVE EXPORT OF SELECTED ITEMS

DURING JULY-NOVEMBER, 2008-09 AND 2009-10*
Sr. Item 2008-09 2009-10 Percentage
# (July-Nov.) (July-
Change
Nov)*
A. Food Group 1454.0 1127.7 -22.4
(17.7) (14.8)
1 Rice 1012.2 699.2 -30.9
i) Basmati 581.0 303.0 -47.8
ii) Others 431.2 396.2 -8.1
2 Fish & fish preparations 92.4 81.3 -12.0
3 Fruits 55.5 74.7 34.6
4 Vegetables 14.2 23.2 63.4
5 Leguminous vegetables 2.5 0.0 -100.0
6 Tobacco 5.3 3.4 -35.8
7 Wheat 28.7 0.1 -99.7
8 Spices 12.9 14.4 11.6
9 Oil seeds,nuts and kernals 8.8 10.9 23.9
10 Sugar 8.9 0.0 -100.0
11 Meat and meat preparations 29.9 40.4 35.1
12 All other food items 182.7 180.1 -1.4
B.Textile Group 4343.2 4203.6 -3.2
(52.9) (52.2)
13 Raw Cotton 52.3 108.5 107.5
14 Cotton Yarn 498.8 590.0 18.3
15 Cotton cloth 949.6 665.7 -29.9
16 Cotton carded or combed 9.4 0.7 -92.6
17 Yarn other than cotton yarn 12.9 16.9 31.0
18 Knitwear 826.7 764.5 -7.5
19 Bedwear 755.5 701.0 -7.2
20 Towels 287.9 270.6 -6.0
21 Tents, canvas & Tarpaulin 25.2 22.1 -12.3
22 Readymade garments 510.0 521.7 2.3
23 Art silk & synthetic textile 110.3 205.5 86.3
24 Madeup articles (Include.other tex.) 212.5 210.0 -1.2
25 Other textile materials 92.1 126.4 37.2
C.Petroleum Group & Coal 471.8 357.0 -24.3
(5.7) (4.7)
26 Petroleum crude 0.0 0.0 --
Petroleum products (Excl.Top
27 277.4 236.5 -14.7
Naphta)
28 Petroleum top naphta 194.2 120.5 -38.0
29 Solid fuels (coal) 0.2 0.0 -80.0
D.Other manufactures Group 1617.2 1522.1 -5.9
(19.7) (20.0)
30 Carpets rugs & mats 74.6 62.1 -16.8
31 Sports goods 118.1 101.5 -14.1
i) Footballs 55.6 47.0 -15.5
ii) Gloves 37.0 40.5 9.5
iii) Others sports goods 25.5 14.0 -45.1
32 Leather tanned 146.1 111.1 -24.0
33 Leather manufactures 277.9 199.6 -28.2
i) Leather garments 196.3 165.1 -15.9
i) Leather garments 196.3 165.1 -15.9
ii) Leather gloves 76.1 31.2 -59.0
iii) Other Leather manufactures 5.5 3.3 -40.0
34 Footwears 52.6 42.4 -19.4
i) Leather footwear 42.1 36.4 -13.5
ii) Canvas footwear 0.6 0.2 -66.7
iii) Other footwear 9.9 5.8 -41.4
35 Surgical goods/medical instruments 109.3 96.3 -11.9
36 Cutlery 20.9 21.2 1.4
37 Onyx manufactured 7.8 5.1 -34.6
38 Chemicals & pharmaceutical products 280.3 269.9 -3.7
i) Fertilizer manufactured 0.0 0.1 150.0
ii) Plastic materials 84.1 96.1 14.3
iii) Pharmaceutical products 53.9 41.8 -22.4
iv) Other chemicals 142.2 131.8 -7.3
39 Engineering Goods 116.7 102.7 -12.0
i) Electric fans 9.5 13.1 37.9
ii) Transport equipment 6.2 12.7 104.8
iii) Other electric machinery 16.4 24.3 48.2
iv) Machinery specialized for