Gloves industry faces hardships: PGMEA

Chairman Pakistan Gloves Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PGMEA) Dr Shumail Saeed Barlas has said that export of gloves has been decreased to 23 percent export resultantly the biggest foreign exchange earning gloves industry is confronting to serious crisis.
Talking to reporters here on Sunday, he said the gloves industry was playing an instrumental role in strengthening the national economy despite of harsh crisis contributing US 250 million dollars to the national exchequer, he said.
Dr Shumail pinpointed that due to high tariff of electricity, Sui gas and bank charges as well as non-availability of leather and non-availability of research and development facilities biggest industry was suffering adversely. The research and development in this modern epoch had become vital for the industry for the producing quality products and to compete international market as well as marinating its standard in the market, he said.
The chairman PGMEA said that this serious issue had been discussed with the high ups of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and Commerce Ministry but the outcome of the efforts remained zero. The leather related industries were negotiating with the government for the provision of six percent as textile industry the facility of research and development and it was unfortunate that the leather related had been totally ignored in trade policy 2006-07, he said.
Dr Shumail Barlas said that Leather Product Development Institute (LPDI) was producing trained work force for the leather industry while Cleaner Production Centre (CPC) rendering highly laudable service for reducing the pollution load with the introduction of cleaner production techniques tanning and leather industry. Both the institutions are being run by Pakistan Gloves Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PGMEA) and were successfully catering the needs of the industry, he said.
The chairman PGMEA said the government had stopped the funds of both the institutions resultantly the industry was facing serious hardships. He urged upon the EPB and commerce ministry that necessary funds should be granted for initiating the research and development and for the smooth running of Leather Products Development Institute (LPDI) and Cleaner Production Centre (CPC). Expressing his confidence that high ups of EPB and commerce ministry would consider on these issues and for the survival of the leather industry.