Former commerce minister Gohar Ejaz has said Pakistan’s textile industry could increase exports to $50 billion from the current $19 billion if the country revives cotton production and addresses policy challenges affecting the sector.
Speaking at a press conference at the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) House in Lahore on Monday, Ejaz said the association had been calling for higher cotton production for the past five years.
He criticized the expansion of sugarcane cultivation, which he said consumes more water, at the expense of cotton.
Ejaz said Pakistan needed to revive cotton cultivation to strengthen the textile industry and reduce its dependence on imported raw materials. He noted that Pakistani exporters currently import cotton from the United States and Brazil while generating around $19 billion in textile exports.
Ejaz also said APTMA wanted to be taken into confidence on government decisions affecting the textile industry. He said Pakistan currently had an opportunity to strengthen its position internationally and benefit from what he described as growing respect for the country’s leadership.
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