Country’s exports register 2% increase: Senate told

February 7, 2020: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce, Textile, Industry and Production Abdul Razak Dawood on Friday apprised the Senate that the country’s exports witnessed 2 per cent increase during July 2019 to January 2020.

Responding to various supplementary questions during Question Hour, the Adviser said that the textile sector exports witnessed 25 per cent increase, poultry 50 per cent and fishery 28 per cent during the last period.

However, he said quantity wise exports registered upward trend but not value-wise due to prevailing recession at international level.

Abdul Razak said special focus was also being given to boost export of IT, chemical and engineering products. Gas and electricity tariffs were also fixed for export-oriented sectors, he added.

To another question, he said the Commerce Ministry was in the process of finalizing the Strategic Trade Policy Framework 2020-25, with an aim at addressing capacity constraints of competitiveness and factor productivity related issues that were hampering growth of small-scale entrepreneurs.

The Federal Cabinet has approved the National Tariff Policy (2019-24), on November 19, 2019. The policy aimed at making the tariff structure truly reflect trade policy priorities, improving competitiveness through duty-free access to imported inputs, rationalizing the tariff structure for enhancing efficiencies and reducing the relative “disincentive” for the exporting activities, he said.

To a separate question, Razak Dawood said as many as 43 commercial counselors were selected and 35 had already joined their duties. Proper training was given to them before posting them abroad, he said.

APP