President of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) Mian Adrees has said that textile industry is the most important manufacturing sector of Pakistan and has the longest production chain, with inherent potential for value-addition at each stage of processing, from cotton to ginning, spinning, fabric, processing, made-ups and garments.
He further said that textile products have maintained an average share of about 60 percent in national exports. He further said that spinning is the first process in the chain that adds value to cotton by converting raw material (ginned cotton) into a finished product (cotton yarn). Spinning is the foundation process and all the subsequent value-additions, that is weaving, knitting, processing, garments and made-ups, depend upon the initial process of the spinning of yarn. Therefore, any variation in quality of yarn spinning directly affects the entire value chain.
Mian Adrees further said that any damage to the spinning industry in Pakistan will be transformed ultimately to cotton growers which will lead to poverty in underdeveloped rural areas of Punjab and Sindh provinces. To save cotton growers from losses we will have to save our spinning industry. It is noteworthy that because of subsidies and other facilities to its cotton growers in India the spinners are in the position to dump their production in Pakistani market, he added.
The FPCCI President suggested that government should take all measures to save the value-addition chain and strengthen the spinning industry of Pakistan so that it can compete in the global market. It is notable that more than 35 percent spindles in Pakistan are not being fully utilised.
The Spinners have made their heavy investments but due to shortage of energy, law and order situation and many other crises they cannot utilise their installed capacity, while import cotton yarn from India will not be required if capacity is fully utilised, he added.-PR