‘Marble sector has potential to grab global market’

LAHORE: Marble and granite industry of Pakistan can be transformed into a cutting-edge stone industry by adopting Chinese quarrying techniques, an official said on Wednesday.

Talking to Wang Zihai, chairman of the China affairs of the Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry, PCJCCI Chairman S M Naveed said that export quantum of marble and granite can be increased manifolds by establishing marble industrial parks in collaboration with China under CPEC to effectively utilise the valuable marble reserves of the country. Industrial parks will bring the cost effective cutting, blasting and finishing technology in Pakistan that will enhance the competitive edge of the industry, he added.

All provinces have huge deposits of ornamental stones, Naveed said, adding that Balochistan has rich deposits of marble and granite in Khuzdar, Loralai, Lasbela and Chaghi districts, whereas in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Malakand, Mardan, Hazara, Peshawar and Kohat are the high-potential areas where quarrying and mining was already taking place. Identifying major factors hindering the growth of marble industry in the country, he said, the lack of quality production, inconsistent supply of raw material and scarcity of the modern technology were the factors, which needed immediate government’s attention.

The PCJCCI chairman suggested strengthening Pakistan Stone Development Company (PASDEC) to fill the missing chains in marble industry.

The extraction in Pakistan mainly comprises boring of holes in the bedrock, filled with explosives to blast the block, resulting not only in high wastage, but also in smaller sized stone, substantially reducing the price.

Naveed said that standard quarry wastage in the world is taken at 50 percent of the gross produce; however, in Pakistan, this reaches up to 73 percent.

Wastage can be avoided by using latest wire-cutting technique and equipment; thus, bright prospects of setting up joint ventures in the marble sector exist in Pakistan.

He said global market for marble and granite is estimated at around $62 billion, but Pakistan’s share is below one percent, which is a cause of concern for the policymakers. With the government support, marble industry has the potential to become the backbone of the economy. He urged the government to make efforts for promoting exports and to redress the issues being face by the marble industry on priority basis. Zihai pledged to share this valuable information with the relevant counterparts in China. He said he will discuss the proposal for transferring marble extraction technology from China to Pakistan that will be beneficial for the two countries.