Govt urged for vibrant textile sector

SIALKOT: The Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) on Friday urged the government to take effective steps for making the value-added textile industry competitive and vibrant in the global market.

Talking to APP, PRGMEA Chief Coordinator Ijaz A Khokhar said that the need of exploring non-conventional international markets could boost exports of the country.

He assured that PRGMEA will support the government in achieving the economic growth target and overcome trade deficit.

However, he suggested that the textile sector should be split into three categories, raw material, home textile and apparel, adding that the textile sector comprises various subsectors with different functions and activities.

The PRGMEA chief coordinator said value-added garments sector of the textile industry has shown 11.22 percent growth in 2017/18, despite internal and external challenges.

The value-added garments sector is a major taxpayer, largest employment generator in the textile chain with exports worth $5.5 billion.

He stressed the need for establishing "Garment Export Promotion Council", including public and private sectors to monitor garment sector activities and policy making for maximising exports.