A Korean expert in marble and granite work would prepare export marketing strategy to promote the sector, sources in Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) told Business Recorder on Saturday. In this connection a meeting of the stakeholders of the marble and granite sector of NWFP was held in the Regional Office of Smeda a few days back which was also attended by Korean marketing expert, Park Chang Do.
The Korean expert has 40 years' experience in export marketing of marble a granite products and offered his services in developing an export strategy for the marble and granite sector of NWFP.
Smeda Regional Manager Muhammad Tariq Mashwani said that the Korean expert would provide voluntarily services and would not charge any consultancy fee. He said that the firm of Park Chango Do has experts in different sectors of marble and granite products and provides lists to the governments of different states.
"We had asked for assistance in the preparation of marketing strategy; therefore, they have provided us expert on export marketing," Mashwani said. He said that the contract would be a for a period of three months during which he would hold meetings with the stakeholders of different sectors.
We are providing only lodging and transportation facilities and will not charge fee for consultancy.
The meeting held in connections with the development of export strategy decided that Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) would arrange to send a delegation of the stakeholders of marble & granite sector to Korea while the Smeda has planned to launch marble & granite products on its website, giving information about these locally manufactured products.
In another meeting between representatives of Governor's Secretariat FATA and stakeholders it was observed that a model quarry would result in increased production and better quality of stone.
The government side said that it would play a promotional and supervisory role and the private stakeholders would be the executing body and Smeda would continue facilitating the whole project.
The meeting decided that a steering committee would be formed to run the project.
The proposed committee will consist of the owner of the mine and one representative each from the Governor's Secretariat, FATA Chamber of Commerce & Industry, All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association, FATA Mining Association and Smeda.