The supply of raw jute from Bangladesh remains volatile because only Pakistan and Bangladesh flag carriers can transport this cargo because of a protocol signed between the two countries. Pakistan Jute Mills Association (PJMA) Chairman Humayun Mazhar said this while talking to Business Recorder here on Thursday.
The Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) does not ply vessels on this route while Bangladesh Shipping Corporation has irregular insufficient sailing. He urged the government to grant a general waiver and to help the industry, get the same waiver from Bangladesh government allowing third country vessels to ply on this route, to keep raw jute supply chain intact.
He said PJMA was an associate member of International Jute Study Group (IJSG), based in Dhaka working under the auspices of United Nations, however, Pakistan should become a full member as it will benefit the local industry immensely.
He said IJSG is an international forum, which can provide us world-class expertise for future direction and value addition to our jute industry. If Pakistan is a full member then we have more to say in the activities this forum undertakes.
Despite being an associate member, Chairman PJMA currently not only holds the position of Vice-Chairman of the Private Sector Consultative Board of the IJSG but also heading its Technical committee.
While appreciating the recent budgetary policy to provide R & D facility to textiles sector for productivity improvement, he said that jute industry is an integral part of textiles, but surprisingly it has not been provided with R & D facility. This is contrary to the policy of the government to promote non-traditional exports.
The Research & Development support facility should also be provided to jute industry as it has been extended to its counterparts in the textiles sector. He said the jute industry of Pakistan is the world's largest outside the jute fibre producing countries and third largest exporter of jute products. Starting from meager exports of one million rupees in 2001 it has culminated to an astounding Rs 900 million in the current fiscal year.
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