Express Tribune, Pakistan

Textile woes: PRGMEA expresses concern over EU-Vietnam FTA

By Our Correspondent

14 January 2016

LAHORE: The Pakistan Readymade Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) has cautioned the government to address the issues of the value-added textile sector, as the continued drop in exports may further widen due to Vietnam and European Union’s (EU) Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

PRGMEA Chief Coordinator Ijaz Khokhar asked the government to take preventive measures as Vietnam can capture Pakistan’s export market, which has already reduced due to high energy cost and discriminating import duties on industry raw material. The exports of textile and clothing have been declining sharply during the last six months (July-Dec) of 2015.

Khokhar asked PM Nawaz Sharif to personally direct policy-makers to work for reduction in input costs.