KARACHI, Jan 31: The trade volume of supply of Swiss textile machinery, which showed an increase of 20 per cent during the year 2004, is set to register a further 25-30 per cent increase during the year 2005.

This was stated by the Chairman, Textile Machinery Division of Swiss men, Christian Kuoni, at a press briefing here on Monday. He is leading a 30-member Swiss delegation on a visit to Pakistan.

The delegation held a symposium on Monday to present Swiss textile machinery to Pakistani textile sector. "We are hoping to hold an exhibition of Swiss textile machine products in Karachi sometime in April this year," Kuone told APP later.

He said their current visit was aimed at helping Pakistan's textile industry to use the most advanced technology in a right way. "We strongly believe that it is not only the supply of business machinery, but also the provision of training and service to the textile industry to produce good quality products for the world markets."

The Swiss manufacturers are of the opinion that Pakistan would play an important role as a major textile exporter. He remarked that Pakistan ranked third in Asia after China and India as far as the textile sector was concerned. "There is great potential for the country to enhance its exports for which it needs latest state-of-the-art machinery."

Speaking at the briefing, Swiss Consul General at Karachi Julius F. Anderegg told reporters that today Swiss textile machinery was regarded as the most advanced in the world.

He pointed out that Pakistan was too important in the textile sector and the best way for textile export promotion for Pakistan was to use latest machinery for a better place in the global market.

Representatives from 15 Swiss textile machinery manufacturers gave presentations of their technological expertise. Swiss men is an association of Switzerland's Mechanical and Electrical Engineering (MEM) Industries and represents the business, social and training policy interests of some 1,000-member companies.

In the first nine months of 2004, exports from Switzerland were up by 2.4 per cent, as compared to the same period of 2003. Up by 18 per cent. -APP