LAHORE: Pakistan Carpets Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PCMEA) demanded that government should remove high rates of customs duties and transportation expenses on industry which are hitting the carpet industry hard.
LCCI executive committee member Mian Attiq Rehman who was leading the delegation briefed the President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry Mian Nauman Kabir, Senior Vice-President Mian Rehman Aziz Chan and Vice-President Haris Ateeq regarding the problems faced by the industry.
Member of delegation Maj ® Akhtar Nazir said that export orders of carpet industry have been dropped due to various reasons. He mentioned that Pakistani exporters provide raw material to the Afghan Weavers. They produce carpets and send back to Pakistan. He said that during transportation Pakistani exporters face various hurdles which should be removed.
The delegation members informed the LCCI office-bearers that India and Afghanistan have subsidized their carpet sector but not Pakistan due to which, the exporters of Pakistan are uncompetitive in the international market.
They urged the government to establish an effective banking system with Afghanistan to ensure smooth trade. They said that due to Covid-19, freight and shipping charges have been increased by two to four times. They added that Pakistani carpet exporters are paying USD 10 to 12 per meter on the export of carpets to Europe while Afghan carpet exporters are paying just USD 0.5 per meter on the export to same destination.
