June 1, 2002	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 19,1423

KARACHI, May 31: A number of export contracts have been negotiated and booked during a visit to Australia and New Zealand of a 10-member trade delegation led by EPB vice-chairman Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi from May 4 to 17, 2002.

The delegation, comprising members from carpet industry, leather and textile sectors, visited Melbourne and Sydney in Australia and Auckland in New Zealand.

The objective of the visit was to acquire greater understanding of the trade, culture and institutions as well as to explore the possibility of exports to these countries.

The visit of the delegation was planned to coincide with trade shows i.e. One International Event, and international trade fair at Melbourne where 13 Pakistani companies were exhibiting their products. The members of the delegation also utilized this opportunity to establish one-to-one contract with the Australian importers.

The team members were invited to briefing sessions at the Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Melbourne, State Chamber of Commerce, New South Wales at Sydney, and Auckland Chamber of Commerce at Auckland.

As a result of the visit, members of the delegation negotiated and booked a number of orders for the supply of their products to buyers in Australia and New Zealand. It is expected that the business contracts initiated during the visit will result in further order in future.

Through participation in trade fairs and organization of such delegations, the EPB expects to arrest the negative trend in the country’s exports to Australia and New Zealand.