Image Credits: Textile Focus
ISLAMABAD, Oct 31 (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan’s prudent policy of maintaining balance between lives and livelihood during the pandemic continues to pay dividends with the economists and businessmen believing that the decision for early easing of lockdown had boosted Pakistan’s exports in the region.
The US-based news agency Bloomberg said in a report that the decision to loose restrictions had helped the nation’s exports “emerge stronger than its South Asian peers.”
“Outbound shipments have grown at a faster pace than Bangladesh and India as textiles, which account for half of the total export, led the recovery, data show. Islamabad saw total shipments grow 7% in September, compared with New Delhi’s 6% and Dhaka’s 3.5%”, according to the article published Thursday.
It said Imran Khan’s administration was the first in the region to ease pandemic restrictions, allowing export units to reopen in April, a month after locking them down to stem the spread of COVID19. That’s helped draw companies from Guess? Inc., Hugo Boss AG, Target Corp. and Hanesbrands Inc. to Pakistan.
“Pakistan has seen orders shifting from multiple nations including China, India and Bangladesh”, said Shahid Sattar, secretary general at the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association. “Garment manufacturers are operating near maximum capacity and many can’t take any orders for the next six months.”
Hugo Boss said in an email that it focuses on long-term supplier partnerships while watching for “additional or new procurement channels.” Hanesbrands said it sources from many countries, including China and Pakistan, to supplement production from company-owned facilities. Neither company provided details. Guess and Target didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Even as lockdown curbs disrupted trade in India and Bangladesh for at least two months beginning late March, Pakistan was already making face masks and personal protective gear for export. The country also gained some orders from companies looking to diversify their supply chains amid the trade war between the US and China, the world’s top textile exporter, despite factories there reopening as early as April.
“This war between two giants has given us new opportunities in polyester-cotton products”, said Khalid Mehmood, head of garment and home textile operations at Nishat Mills Ltd., the nation’s largest textile maker. “So there is a six-month slot for Pakistan now to capture maximum number of customers that were China based.”
Executives from Nishat Mills and Interloop Ltd., one of the world’s largest manufacturers of socks that counts Nike Inc. and Adidas AG among its clients, said they have seen some orders diverted to them from China. Meanwhile, Gadoon Textile Mills Ltd. has received orders redirected from Bangladesh, the world’s second-largest apparel exporter, and India, the third-largest textile exporter.
“The orders we were exporting to Europe and the US have not recovered”, Muhammad Imran Moten, chief financial officer at Gadoon, said during an analyst briefing. “But diversion of orders from China and Bangladesh is the compensating factor.”
Increase in exports, which account for some 10% of Pakistan’s gross domestic product, can help spur growth in the economy after its first contraction in 68 years in the year ended June. The incumbent government is targeting a growth of 2.1% in the current financial year. But, according to Bloomberg, there are risks on the horizon that may temper growth prospects for the economy.
The government announced measures this week to contain a second wave of COVID19 infections, including mandatory wearing of masks in public and early closure of markets and restaurants. Then there’s the issue of competitiveness.
“Despite a relatively rapid recovery of exports, following the ease of the lockdown imposed by the COVID19 pandemic, a long-term view reveals stagnation”, said Gonzalo Varela, senior economist at the World Bank. “Pakistan needs an across the board tariff rationalisation to encourage manufacturers to export and the nation to compete with other nations.”
Stay tuned to Baaghi TV for latest news and updates!
Turkish chef Burak Ozdemir Arrives in Pakistan
Pulwama Artack: Modi slammed Indian Opposition
Business Community Shows Full Confidence in & Support for Armed Forces
