Govt patronising furniture industry to boost exports: minister

LAHORE, Dec 17 (APP):Federal Minister for Commerce and Textile Muhammad Pervaiz Malik Sunday said the government was not only
patronising the furniture industry but also making all-out
efforts to fully exploit its potential for boosting export,
especially to European countries, Canada and the USA.
Addressing the concluding ceremony of 3-day mega 9th Interiors
Pakistan Exhibition at Expo Centre, he said that with the
exhibition, people would also come to know about quality and
designs of the products, manufactured by Pakistani artists.
Appreciating the efforts of Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC),
the minister said it was a pleasant surprise for him to see
a variety of classy, handmade and solid furniture under one
roof, which has the potential to attract the foreign buyers.
Other members of the PFC board of directors Khwaja Maqbool Elahi,
Shahzad Yousaf Mughal, Shahbaz Aslam and Rizwan Amjad were
also present on the occasion.
He said Pakistan was moving forward in a better position
to attract investment and it was highly appreciable that the
PFC was employing full force to create opportunities for foreign
investment in the country by creating business-to-business
contacts with foreign furniture producers. He said that Pakistan’s investment profile has been upgraded by all leading rating agencies on account of successful economic reforms and improved security situation.
He said that trade fairs are among the most important instruments in business-to-business communications and the PFC had been holding consecutively 9th exhibitions in different cities of the country for promotion of the furniture industry. He added that the government
would provide all kinds of support to furniture producers and
designers to conduct international exhibitions abroad.
Pervaiz Malik said that woodworkers of this industry have great
skills and potential and if used properly, Pakistan could become
the best exporter of furniture. The minister said that with development of furniture industry, it would be easy to meet local and international demand.
SAARC Chamber Vice President and Chairman of United Business Group (UBG) Iftikhar Ali Malik said Pakistan has potential to export handmade wood furniture worth at least one billion dollars annually if the government patronises this industry and if interest-free loans on soft terms and condition are advanced to small-scale manufacturers.
Chief Executive PFC Mian Kashif Ashfaq said the exhibition had
now opened new ways and venues to the amazing potential and calibre of Pakistani Furniture, fixtures and respective furnishing goods that we produce with high quality.
Later, the minister and other dignitaries visited various stalls
at the exhibition