The use of synthetic yarn is gradually making room in Pakistan's textile exports naturally due to increasing demand in the world market which, is certainly a good sign of diversification in the cotton based textile products in Pakistan.

The bedwear sector, which is emerging as one of the leaders among the textile producers is focusing to hit the mark of one billion dollar exports has already started producing blended fabrics to cater to the need of the world market.

Shabbir Ahmed, Chairman Pakistan Bedwear Association told PAGE that export of blended fabrics is increasing gradually from Pakistan which, would certainly help to maximize benefits of the cotton produced in Pakistan.

It may be noted that Pakistan's textile sector imported synthetic fibre and yarn worth $145.9million during the last year to meet the increasing world demand for the blended fabrics and to earn more foreign exchange.

The import figure reflects an increase of 25 per cent over the last year's comparable figure of $116.558million.

The demand for blended fabrics increases manifold during winter in the Western Europe while the blended fabrics are much in demand in the Eastern European countries round the year.

Increasing the use of synthetic yarn in the textile products is the significant joint ventures with some leading French textile exporting companies in Pakistan.

In addition to synthetic fibre, the local textile industry has also imported about 1.2m bales of lint cotton from various countries after world prices dipped to new low last year and early this year.

The bulk of the imported stuff is export at much higher rates after value-addition to the Far Eastern countries after adding value to it. A part of the imported synthetic yarn also consumed by the local end-product users.

Having in its fold over a dozen units including Dewan Salman, Ibrahim Fibre, ICI Pakistan has a large synthetic industry, which after catering to the local consumption needs also export to other countries.

In the European market, the demand for the blended fabrics rises, as consumers like to wear them in winter, while in summer they like to wear clothes of pure cotton.

The use of synthetic fibre in cotton has been progressively rising during the last couple of years as leading local spinners do not want to loose their grip on the almost secured consumer base in the European market.

The share of synthetic fibre in cotton textiles has gradually risen to 30- 40 per cent.

The role of synthetic fibre is supplementary to the textile sector and not against its growth as it makes its products on the world market more competitive and enabling to it higher forex earnings.

A couple of months back the local synthetic industry was the victims of falling world prices but it suited to the textile industry at local front. However the prices started rising to the level of Rs62 from the previous Rs52 per kg have made now more viable for the local industry.

EXPORTS

Pakistan's textile sector which has been sufficiently modernized earned $5.795 billion during the recently concluded financial year 2001-2002 as compared to $5.577 billion of 2000-2001 indicating a growth of 9.7 per cent.

The exports of bedwear fetched $918.5 million against $744.8 million showing growth of 23.3 per cent while towels exports also increased by 11.6 per cent to $269.8 million against $241.6 million of the previous year.

Readymade garments improved by 6.68 per cent to $882 million from $826.7 million where as made-ups increased by 6.2 per cent to $351 million as compared to $330.9 million.

According to textile experts, growth in the textile exports can be described as remarkable in the backdrop of the worldwide economic recession and difficult global conditions prevailing in the aftermath of the events of terrorism in the United States and its retaliation against terrorists in Afghanistan.

They said that the textile sector has availed the opportunity emerged after the incentives given by the EU countries for the exporters. However, there is still a great room for the promotion of textile exports, as a large market for textile products is still lying untapped in the Eastern Europe. They were anticipating more opportunities for promoting exports of textile products in the US market as the incentives and facilities are still due in the US market. The current trend of relocating the textile industry in the United States is also bound to offer tremendous opportunities for the textile producing countries including Pakistan.

In order to get the optimum results of the quota available in the US market, the government has decided to make amendments in the textile quota management policy. Due to the change in the policy, the carry-over and exceptional flexibility quotas have been allowed transferable.

The Ministry of Commerce has informed all the textiles associations through Export Promotion Bureau about this decision of making the "Carry-over" and "exceptional flexibility" quota transferable. As a result of this decision, the textile exports under quota regime are also likely to prove result oriented in the overall export performance of the textile sector.