Unrestricted export of cotton and cotton yarn has been creating serious problems for the apparel sector, whose exports are falling because of this issue.
The constant export of cotton and cotton yarn has pushed up their prices to new heights, ultimately increasing the cost of production of apparel sector, according to representatives of apparel sector.
Jawed Bilwani, Chairman, Pakistan Apparel Forum; Rana Muhammad Mushtaq khan, Central Chairman, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA) and others said that unrestricted export of cotton yarn would have a serious effect on the exports of the value added apparels making it difficult to achieve our ambitious export target. The irony is that the cotton yarn is being exported to our competing countries, which is tantamount to arming them for competing in the finished product market. Value added apparel sector is converting raw cotton of 67 cent a pound into value added finished goods worth $5 to $6 a piece, earning valuable foreign exchange for the country.
Exports of raw cotton and semi-finished textiles have increased considerably in recent times, which is indeed alarming: Raw cotton exports were up 40 percent in FY08, 25 percent in FY09 and overall 20 percent from 2006 to 2009.
The month of May 09 alone registered an increase of 31 percent over the previous month, while June 09 registered increase of 117 percent over May. In the case of cotton yarn, exports increased by 4 percent in May 09, and by 14 percent in June 09. On the other hand, at the closing of financial year 2008-09, an unacceptable drop in exports was registered in major value added sectors, i.e., Knitwear -8 percent, Bedwear -10 percent, and Readymade Garments -4 percent, while exports of cotton increased by 25 percent while that of Yarn increased by 15 percent.
On the other hand, prices of different qualities combed and carded cotton yarn increased 24 percent to 33 percent in the last three months.
With the above rise in price of cotton yarn the cost of production of garments goes up by 10 percent. One can imagine the effect of this increase of 10 percent in these most crucial times with stiff competition form neighbouring and other competing countries, when the margin of profit of value added exporter of garment here is a mere 5 percent to 6 percent. “How can the exporter survive and exist under such circumstances,” they questioned.
India as well as China, main competitors of Pakistan, also export cotton and cotton yarn but they give regard to the requirement of the value added textile exporters and export only after determining the size of the crop and the exportable surplus, ensuring that the requirements of their value added textile exporters are properly met.
They said that our value added apparel sector is reeling under immense pressure of high costs of doing business, rising utility rates and several other problems. Further, this unrestricted export of major raw material, cotton and cotton yarn, has led to spiraling prices and is crucifying our exports of value added apparel which will lead to further closures of large number of export oriented units.
The EU and US—major importers of local textiles—are still trying to grapple with the deep-rooted economic problems. The IMF has predicted that GDP growth in the EU and US would remain flat in the current year.
Domestically, the power crisis, gas load shedding, high financing cost, other infrastructure problems and above all the deteriorated security situation caused a big dent in textile exports.
News Source: Daily Times
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