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SIALKOT Pakistan is all set to regain its football ball production market from China and India as both its competitors could not meet the required FIFA standard for hand-stitched balls.
In a press release, Sialkot based sports goods manufacturers and exporters said if the Pakistani government helps out in exploring markets, especially Latin America and Asia Pacific, we will be able export footballs worth $100 million well before next the football World Cup which is scheduled to take place in 2010.
The leading exporters say that sports good manufacturing is a labour-intensive industry providing direct and indirect job opportunities to about 80,000 workers, while sub-contracting of work on piece rate is a common practice, resulting in more jobs for people. But the governments lack of interest towards this industry had not let it grow for a long time.
There are over 3,500 small and medium sized sports goods industrial units and some 60 well-established industries functioning in Sialkot. The sports goods industry of Sialkot, producing quality goods mainly for foreign markets, has a century old history.
According to estimates, Sialkot was earning foreign exchange in the amount of one billion dollars annually with its exports. But manufacturers argue the industry is suffering from a lack of support from the federal government.
The latest developments in the football market will come as somewhat of a boost for Pakistan which competes with India, China and Japan in the international sports goods market.
