All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) recently expressed concern over the deteriorating condition of the spinning industries located in Punjab and NWFP. Most of these units are suffering due to disadvantageous location, and weather extremities.
The association has plans of taking up certain specific issues with the Prime Minister with regard to the problems faced by the spinning industry. Besides, industrialists are also of the opinion that yarn manufacturers who are facing increasing cost pressures like other sectors of the textile industry must also be given research & development and duty drawback facility on the same lines as granted to the downstream industry.
In an exclusive interview with Fibre2fashion, Mr Akber Sheikh, Chairman of APTMA (Punjab zone) confirmed about this plan saying, “We have put forward the issue with the PM and have demanded a relief from the existing problems. Additionally, increasing consumption of gas for domestic purpose is also creating a shortage of the same for industrial use, forcing enterprises to shut down. We expect a smooth and steady supply of gas for sustaining various manufacturing industries.”
Mr Sheikh further asserted that since the industries in Punjab are located far away from ports located in the south, there is always a two way transportation charge involved which adds extra cost burden on the manufacturers.
Moreover, in the past three months, there has been an increase of 30 percent in the cost of energy, 40 percent in financial cost and 33 percent in labor cost. Besides, prices of cotton have also gone up by about 25 percent and all of these issues urgently need to be addressed by the Government.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India