The Punjab government has adopted a national approach for the growth of non-traditional products including wooden furniture in the Punjab. Official sources told Business Recorder here on Wednesday that in order to provide maximum facilities to the business community engaged with the wooden furniture a wood seasoning centre is being set up at Chiniot at a cost of Rs 15 million.
The wood seasoning centre is being developed on 37 kanal of land at Chiniot which is a hub of wooden furniture.
The capacity of this wood seasoning centre would 30,000 sq feet per day and it will start functioning in the middle of next year, he added. The regular functioning of wood seasoning centre will help the business community engaged with wooden furniture to improve the standard of manufacturing of furniture and help in boosting up the export.
Sources further told that Pakistan could earn huge foreign exchange through the export of wooden furniture and other non-traditional products because the demand of Pakistan made furniture is increasing day by day in the foreign countries.
At present the exports of Pakistan are encircling on selected traditional products but no proper heed has been paid to introduce new and non-traditional items in the international market.
The export circle can be further expanded through the export of non-traditional products to different countries.
Pakistan has an abundance of non-traditional products, which are yet to be exploited for earning maximum foreign exchange from the export of these products.
According to a survey that the business community of Pakistan is depending on the export of selected products.
At present most of the selected Pakistani exportable items are being exported to selected European countries.
Sources revealed that there are bright chances of flourishing and to expand wooden furniture including office furniture, kitchen furniture and bedroom furniture in the country.
The Pakistani exporter community could earn huge foreign exchange through the export of furniture to different countries.
So far the Pakistan business community has restricted its attention only on the exporting of traditional products but no efforts have made for introducing the non-traditional and other new products in international market.
The present government is making adequate efforts to motivating the business community to twist attention toward the production and export of non-traditional products for fetching atom and more foreign exchange for the country and attain the export target fixed as set by the government more easily.
In recent past the wooden furniture has taken a sharp upward turn and become more popular in the globe and very few countries are engaged with the export of wooden furniture.
The Germany, United States of America, France and Italy are the major exporters of wooden furniture while China, India and Russia are step in the business of furniture as result of which the scope of furniture has further widen.
The export of wooden furniture from Pakistan has been increased considerably and 14 percent of the overall export of during 2000-2001 was based on kitchen furniture while office furniture was on second with 0.55 percent, which indicates the considerable increase in the export of kitchen furniture.
This healthy trend of kitchen furniture export is very important for the business community engaged with the furniture industry of Pakistan.
The United Kingdom is the main buyer of Pakistan made kitchen furniture, which imported 24 percent of the overall furniture from Pakistan.
There are three main categories of wooden furniture that includes office furniture, bedroom and kitchen furniture.
The business community engaged with wooden furniture has the potentials and capable to play its instrumental role in capturing the major of furniture market of the world.
The government is very keen that business community should concentrate on producing non-traditional products in traditional and non-traditional markets of the globe aimed at expanding the export-base of the country.
The government and business community are considering different ways and means for giving practical shape to the promotion of non-traditional products including wooden furniture.