FAISALABAD, Dec 13: The trade officers posted abroad and local industrialists have announced working jointly for diversification of exports and exploring new and non-traditional markets in the world.

At a meeting held with members of the Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA), the trade officers deputed in Sydney, Istanbul, Kabul, Kandhar, Mabgurg, Chicago, Urumchi, Nairobi, Bangkok, Lagos, Madrid, Stockholm, the Hague, Jakarta, London, Dubai, Geneva, Baku and Tehran assured the textile exporters that they would try their best to provide maximum information to industrialists about requirements of the people and export opportunities abroad.

PTEA Chairman Rana Arif Tauseef said the association was the biggest body of exporters contributing 34 per cent to exports.

He said textile exporters had upgraded their production units with huge investment and now they were concentrating on aggressive marketing strategies to meet the WTO challenges.

He underlined the importance of getting in-time information from potential buyers and hoped that the trade officers would help them in identifying profitable customers. He said Pakistani exports had recorded a decrease of 16 per cent to European Union despite 20 per cent increase in overall export volume.

“This shortfall is due to anti-dumping duty, high gas and power tariff, increase in petroleum products and freight charges,” he said.

Faiz Rasool, head of the trade officers team, said exporters should develop their brochures and websites professionally to communicate the required information to buyers without any unnecessary delay.