Support needed for apparel sector
Pakistan’s garment sector, and its knitted garment sector in particular, is looking to the government for support in order to sustain its global position and to increase market share, both in terms of value and volume. In order to achieve this, the sector requires funding in order to upgrade its manufacturing and marketing processes. The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry believes the focus should be on research and development, technical innovation, product development. Brand and market development will also be central to future growth if the country’s textile sector is to increase in value.
The federation claims that Pakistan is world's fourth largest producer of cotton and the third largest cotton consumer. Cotton-based textiles account for 46% of total manufacturing and the sector provides employment to 38% of the manufacturing labour force.
The government recently signed a free trade agreement with China, which is expected to increase trade with the country by approximately $5 billion. Most of this increase is likely to come from the textile industry.
