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Pakistan Mega Leather Show to start on March 6 in Lahore
LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s first ever Mega Leather Show 2015 is scheduled to be held on March 6-8 at the Lahore International Expo Centre. Key Government of Pakistan officials, foreign associations and diplomats are expected to attend the expo which is a unique and first ever biggest expo of its kind in Pakistan. The Pakistani leather sector is a big earner of export income, with total exports of $1.366 billion in the latest financial year. However, the sector is not keeping up with regional competitors and the industry is facing difficulties in coping with the changing demands of the international market. Although Pakistan is a strong international player in the leather apparel and accessories sector (including leather clothing accessories and gloves) controlling 7.6% of the world trade; in the footwear sector, which is 73% of the overall global leather industry, Pakistan has only had a negligible share for the past several years. The European Union has been assisting Pakistan’s leather industry and is playing a vital role in its revival. In this regard, Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Pakistan’s Head of Cooperation, Bernard Francois, addressed a workshop held in connection with Pakistan Mega Leather Show 2015. He said, “The leather sector is an important sector in Pakistan, due to the size of its economic footprint, employment, and potential for value creation.” Despite being an export earner, the leather sector has a small share in global trade of value added goods and products, he added. Francois further said, “In the wake of the current relaxation/incentives given by the EU, which includes the GSP Plus status for Pakistan, the value added leather sector needs to seize the opportunity and further develop the sector to become an even greater export earner for Pakistan.”
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk