KARACHI, Oct 10: The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) spent Rs291.133 million during FY2001-2002 on export promotional activities which included holding of exhibitions and arranging trade delegation aboard.

The bureau spent Rs45 million on arranging visits aboard of 38 trade delegations comprised 337 members. Rs246.133 million spent on participating in 59 international trade exhibitions in which around 680 exhibitors took part, official figures show.

However, exporters were of the view that despite spending such a huge amount on export promotional activities desired results are not coming and exports continue to hover around $9 billion for the last so many years.

The EPB dishes out the funds from the Export Development Fund collected at 0.25 per cent from exporters.

The export development fund is also used on setting up of vocational institutes such as stitching, cutting, designing, etc.

Generally, the exporters feel that the bureau is ‘mis-using’ the fund on foreign trips of its high officials. It arranges several trips of the officials in a year, who even do not share their experience and know-how with others or even prepare a report which could be beneficial to all, the exporters said.

After 9/11 incident the exporters made a strong demand for the withdrawal or at least reduction in export development surcharge to off-set the adverse impact of War Risk Surcharge unilaterally imposed by the shipping companies and increase in insurance charge on cargo.

But, the exporters said, the ministry of commerce did not fulfil any of the demands rather kept dodging exporters on one pretext or the other.

The EPB on its part had set new guidelines for participation in international exhibitions and fairs. The bureau claims that these guidelines would ensure transparency and effective participation in trade fairs, which could truly reflect in improved exports.

The bureau has further claimed on using these guidelines more than 2000 exporters were provided government support to participate in fairs, exhibitions and delegations abroad.

During last three years EPB organized participation of exporters in 189 exhibitions and product promotion campaigns aboard and sponsored more than 83 trade delegations to foreign countries.

The EPB claims that over a period of three years, exports from the country increased by 17 per cent. Total value of exports in the year 1998-90 was $7.78 billion. It had reached $9.14 billion in 2001-2002 and the foundation of a healthy sustainable growth had been laid for the future.

From Nov 1999 to June 2000, exports witnessed an increase of 11.92 per cent over the same period of the last year, which came up to $5.95 billion from $5.32 billion. During the financial year 1999-2000 the exports increased to $8.57 billion as against $7.8 billion in 1998-99.

The rising trend in export graph touched the figure of $9.2 billion first time in the history of the country during 2000-2001. During the financial year 2001-2002, exports stood at $9.135 billion against $9.202 billion in the previous year showing a decrease of 0.7 per cent.