Karschi, Pakistan, September 6—Pakistani carpet manufacturers have succeeded to attract $4 million export orders in a week mainly from European countries, according to the Daily Times.
Carpet manufacturers and exporters say a large number of foreign buyers, who have been in the city for the last couple of weeks to attend the carpet fair, are making deals to import Pakistani products.
“So far we have signed $1 million export deal,” said Abdul Ghafoor Sajid of the Pakistan Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters Association. “Other $2 million to $3 million deals have been finalised and would be signed in a day or two.”
He said the main interest in Pakistani carpet was witnessed from Germany, France, Italy and Greece coupled with big import orders placed by some Asian countries including Japan, China and Thailand.
Pakistan’s carpet industry experienced a serious shock when it declined to $230 million in 2003-04 from $300 million in 2001-2002, following repatriation of Afghan refugees whose hand-knotting are in demand in international market.
Voluntarily repatriation of over two million Afghan refugees since March 2002 supposed to be a good omen for Pakistan turned out to be a crucial social happening for the hand-knotted carpet industry, which is visibly shaken with the departure of Afghan weavers and having suffered a loss of around $80 million.
However, with the recent activity, the exporters say they have succeeded to attract buyers from Europe and the United States – the two big markets of the luxury product. “Apart from big orders we have also got good prices,” said Abbass Khan, a Peshawar-based manufacture and exporter, who is due to send $0.2 million export consignment to Greece next week.
“It ranges from $30 per square metre to $150 per square meter. We have received both hand-knotted and machine-weaved carpet orders and we expect to get more queries once our consignment is landed in the Europe.”
He said in recent days Pakistan’s carpet weavers had managed to plagiarise Oriental Persian rug designs, employing Sana Knot like Afghans, instead of sticking to the traditional Kashmiri school of carpeting widely followed in India.
The country’s carpet exports increased to $283 million during 2004-05 from $230 million registered during 2003-04. Exporters say the figures may go much higher as the products are well in demand in the European countries and the United States, which require better marketing strategies.
They say recent carpet exhibition in Karachi has lifted hopes of increased number of export figures by the fiscal end as it has allowed manufacturers to directly interact with foreign buyers and explore new markets while staying in the country.
“In a latest development, some Lahore-based exporters and manufacturers have got an opportunity to visit Europe,” said Nasir Behzad, an exporter and member PCMEA.
“It is one of deals which I know. There may be some more interactions between individuals, so it would be clearer in a week or two.”
He said currently the carpet manufacturing was dependent on cottage industry and around 1.5 million cottages were operating with the local workers across the country. The exporters say they have already tabled a proposal before the federal government to provide 100 acres on the outskirts of Karachi to develop a Carpet City to build proper industry infrastructure and increase exports.
“The policy has helped the neighbouring India to increase its export manifold,” said Mr Sajid of the PCMEA.
“We believe the development would increase demand for Pakistani carpets and give a boost to carpet manufacturing in the country. Unfortunately, even after the passing of over 50 years, the sector has not yet developed as an industry,” he remarked.
