Metro53 - Gujrat (Web Desk) – Ahmed Hassan Mato, President of the Gujrat Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that the city’s total exports have reached approximately 150 million USD, with the electric fan industry being the most prominent export sector.
He emphasized that Gujrat’s industries have significant potential to increase exports, but leveraging this fully is not possible without effective access to international markets, trade delegations, and strong diplomatic support.
These remarks were made during a meeting with Federal Secretary of Commerce Jawad Pal in Lahore. Other chamber officials, including Imran Waraich, Ali Shan, and Adil Ashraf, were also present.
During the meeting, Mato highlighted key challenges faced by exporters, noting that rising energy costs are continuously increasing industrial production expenses. Delays in sales tax and export refunds are also severely affecting industrial capital.
He further pointed out serious issues in the fan manufacturing sector, including the non-restoration of the DLT scheme, difficulties in opening LCs for machinery imports, and obstacles in third-party payment clearances.
Mato urged the government to support SMEs in technology transfer and research & development. He also proposed exploring alternative trade routes with Central Asian countries and easing conditions in the export facilitation scheme for new exporters.
Federal Secretary of Commerce Jawad Pal assured that the issues raised by Gujrat exporters would be reviewed carefully, and practical measures would be taken after consultation with relevant authorities.
