At a recent online meeting, representatives of value-added textile associations in Pakistan urged the government to ban export of cotton yarn to ease the commodity crisis. They also proposed a 10 per cent duty on cotton yarn export to help stem falling trend in apparel textiles export. The representatives also demanded permission to import duty free cotton yarn from across the world for at least next six months to arrest the commodity crisis that continues to hit the local market.

Though globally, prices of cotton have decreased but the commodity is still costly in Pakistan. Representatives urged the government to open an immediate forensic audit of local cotton yarn producers, similar on the pattern of sugar probe. Pakistan is currently facing approximately 40 per cent low cotton crop, which is the lowest quantity over the past three decades. The representatives demanded urgent mechanism and policies to increase cotton production.

They also urged the government to help facilitate apparel makers to import cotton yarn from Central Asian Republics through land route via Afghanistan as the sea route is taking a long duration due to shortage of containers and vessels. Representatives who attended the online meeting included: Jawed Bilwani, Chairman, Pakistan Apparel Forum; Riaz Ahmed, Central Chairman, Faisal Mehboob Shaikh Senior Vice Chairman, Tariq Munir, Vice Chairman, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association, Mian Farrukh Iqbal, Senior Vice Chairman, PHMA Northern Zone, Ch Salamat Ali, Ex-central Chairman, Syed Zia Alamdar, Ex-Chairman, Kashif Zia, Ex-Chairman, PHMA, Ijaz Khokhar, Chief Coordinator & Ex-Central Chairman, Pakistan Readymade Garment Manufacturers & Exporter Association, etc.