Pakistani textile companies are busy to improve the quality of their products and focusing to supply the orders on time with the European Union granting GSP Plus status to Pakistan for market access. With the GSP Plus status Pakistan has great opportunity to compete with China as it provides equal footing and level playing field. This year Pakistan’s focus was on the Textile World exhibition which was held in Paris.

The Textile World exhibition in Paris had traders of 25 countries with their 681 companies attended and exhibited their goods. 115 companies involved with manufacturing and production of garments were present. France is known as the Fashion Centre of the world. They specialize in ladies’ garments and accessories. Their products are bought by businessmen and people from other countries.

It became necessary for Pakistani business houses to make contacts with the French business community. Trade and industrial exhibitions are the best place to develop business relations. In the recent exhibition in Paris, a large number of traders and businessmen from Pakistan were in attendance. The best thing was that the French businesses showed great interest in their products.

The French fashion designers and houses buy the fine fabrics from other countries. The fashion industry is the back bone of the French economy. The tourists and traders come here from all over the world. They buy variety of designer products, fashion garments and accessories. It is not an easy job to create space for the fabrics in such a progressive fashion industry.

Fashion dresses are the most expensive in the world and not every body can purchase these products. It is felt that prices of these products can be reduced drastically by lowering the cost of production. In order to cut the prices the French businessmen have started to buy the raw material, cloth and fabrics from other countries. French companies are producing the garments in other countries.

Since the prices of Pakistani products were more acceptable as compared to the products of other countries, the French traders showed keen interest in Pakistani products. There is a great demand for their products due to quality and price which has become possible after the GSP Plus status granted to Pakistan.

Pakistan must now prepare to take advantage of this facility and attend more trade exhibitions and shows in European countries to market their products.

As when we look at all the European markets, departmental stores, and warehouses, Pakistan products are not found it is flooded with Indian, Bangladeshi and Chinese goods. Basic reason is that the prices of Chinese goods are less than the goods of other countries. This provides China certain edge over other competitors.

The Pakistani government is hopeful that exporters will take advantage of this golden opportunity of tax free trading and earn foreign exchange as it now depends on them to capture these markets and proliferate these with their products.

To start with many Pakistani companies have already started to send their representatives to the European countries to exhibit their quality products at trade shows organized by the European markets. Pakistani missions in 25 countries are diligently working on this matter to find lucrative markets for Pakistani products who are arranging meetings for traders from Pakistan to meet businesspersons of European countries.

The exporters and traders are contacting the European markets and business concerns and some have managed to bag orders from different countries.