Friday, January 08, 2010
ISLAMABAD: After a month-long delay, the Bangladeshi government has finally released a consignment of raw jute for Pakistan which was brought for loading on ships for export, The News has learnt.
It is interesting to note that in December 2009, the Bangladeshi government had banned jute exports to Pakistan. It had also banned its export to 12 other countries.
According to sources in the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Bangladeshi government has now decided to export value added products instead of exporting raw jute to other countries. Bangladesh has not lifted the ban but has released the shipment ready for export to Pakistan.
Official sources told The News that in mid-December 2009, the All Pakistan Jute Mills Association (APJMA) asked the government to take up the issue of Bangladesh government’s ban on jute export to Pakistan which they said was affecting the rural economy. They made the demand in a meeting with the Federal Investment Minister, Waqar Ahmad Khan here.
In a meeting held in the Board of Investment the other day, officials said the Investment Ministry had now decided to seek sponsors for jute production locally to feed 14 Pakistani jute mills.
They said there were about 10 mills which were functional while the remaining could be considered sick. Since the demand for jute was increasing worldwide, it was imperative to revive the sick mills, they said.
According to APJMA, the ban had come without any warning and at a bad time for the jute industry in Pakistan. The industry would face a crisis if the matter was not pursued by the Pakistan government at the earliest. —IK
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