Furniture manufacturers suggest steps to boost export: industrial zones demanded

At least four major furniture industrial zones in the country should be established to enhance production and export, besides producing skilled labour for this industry.
Expressing concern over decline of furniture exports and unavailability of skilled workers, furniture manufacturers have demanded of the government to establish such industrial zone one each in provincial capital of the country on the patron of textile zones.
They said these zones would not only help boost exports, but would provide training facilities to the unskilled workers. "The proposed furniture industrial zone should be equipped with the latest technologies, which will help decrease the cost of production," they said.
About the prevailing crisis in the furniture industry in the country, they said that uninterrupted flow of Chinese furniture's imports had badly hit the local industry, which could be countered by enhancing manufacturing techniques, keeping in view the world standard.
They pointed out that production of furniture in the country was declined by almost 80 percent due to unchecked import of Chinese office and household furniture.
They said: "China has an edge over the local furniture industry, which lacks skilled labour, who are not aware of the use latest technology and equipment".
They admitted that Chinese furniture, produced on most modern plants equipped with latest machinery, were good looking and attractive, whereas local manufactures, still relying on manually-operated outdated machines, could not match with the Chinese furniture in quality. "Lack of knowledge about latest technology has brought the local furniture industry on the verge of collapse," they added.
Small and medium furniture units in the country, they said, had switched over to other trades due to increasing cost of production in the wake of soaring prices of raw material and electricity and gas tariffs. They demanded of the government to decrease the import duties on raw material, including chipboard, adhesive, wood, foam and other related items to compete with the Chinese furniture.
"Around 30 prominent furniture markets and 10,000 manufacturers are engaged in the furniture business in the metropolis, while millions other in other parts of the country will be severely affected by the abnormal and continued sharp rise in the prices of raw materials," he said. They urged the government to evolve a plan to safeguard the interests of local furniture industry and demanded incentives to compete in the world market.