960405

Hand-knotted

carpet exports

rise to Rs 5,960m

during 1994-95

LAHORE: The exports of Pakistani hand-knotted carpet went up to Rs 5960 million during year 1994-95.

This was stated by Chairman Pakistan Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PCMEA), Latif Malik said here on Friday.

He said in 1990-91 exports of carpet totalled Rs 4850 million while the quantity was 3151032 sq. meters. The year 1991-92 saw an improvement and exports rose both in terms of quantity and value. In this year quantity increases to 3209590 sq. meters while the value appreciated to Rs 5480 million.

He said next year 1992-93 there was a decline the quantity fell to 2687177 sq. meters and value dwindled to Rs 4390 million. The pattern was repeated in 1993-94 and the industry earned a total of Rs 4460 million for 2752933 sq. meters of carpets export. He said United States replaced Germany as no one importer of Pakistan carpets in the mid 80's and it has since maintained its position from 1989 onwards.

US imports from Pakistan continued to increase but fell in 1992-93 which was a year of a recession however, the upward push was again visuable from the figures for the year 1994-95.

He said Germany had been stagnant in the 90's. From the high of Rs 970 million worth of carpet export in 1990-91, it had come down to Rs 820 million in 1994-95 as it was low as Rs 750 million in 1993-94.

He said France occupied no three positions among importers of Pakistani carpets. France's imports from Pakistan totalled Rs 390 million 1990-91, its total imports were worth Rs 380 million, this figure went upto Rs 470 million in 1992-93 but the situation has fallen since and in 1994-95.

He said the figures for Switzerland show a steep fall, 1990-91 Switzerland imports worth Rs 460 million of carpets from Pakistan but this figure had know come down to Rs 230 million.

The export to United Kingdom, he said present a happy picture as between 1990 to 1995 exports of Pakistani carpet to UK have gone up from Rs 260 million to 400 million. The exports to Italy too show an encrouraging trend.

He said Brazil had emerged as a major market in the last 5 years during which exports have gone up from Rs 4.4 million in 1990-91 to Rs 90 million in 1994-95.-PPI