PFC To Participate In Int'l Apparel Sourcing And Furniture Show In USA

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Jun, 2018 ) :Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) will participate in Int'l Apparel Sourcing and Furniture Show at New York USA commencing from July 23 and display Pak handmade world class furniture products to attract foreign buyers and investors.

PFC Chief Executive Mian Kashif Ashfaq said their participation in this show will help the furniture makers to explore more new markets and further strengthen bilateral trade ties with their counterparts in furniture industry," says a press release issued here on Monday.

The American, the world's largest economy is also the largest market for Pakistan's export-oriented furniture industry.

"American buyers prefer to buy value-priced and high quality finish case goods for dining and bedroom, leather and fabric upholstery, occasional and youth furniture," he added.

He said the American insatiable appetite for furniture makes the US a $100-billion Dollar market. With a 70 percent slice of wooden imported furniture, Asian suppliers are ahead of the competition.

He said there is an ample chance of increasing furniture export volume due to an upward trend as demand for furniture and wooden products are on rise in the US and European markets along with among the domestic consumers.

He said opportunity is huge, but the sector needs a large number of skilled workers to meet the rising demand. "We are making special efforts to increase furniture export catering to the rising global demand," he added.

Kashif said this fair will also give us an opportunity to learn about the latest products and technologies in furniture fields, and be able to improve our businesses as a result.

He further said such business-oriented tours could play a pivotal role for Pakistani furniture manufacturers in achieving the furniture export target of more than $1 billion annually in the international furniture markets.

He said Pakistan's major buyers of wooden furniture are the UK, the USA, Sri Lanka and Gulf countries like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait. The United States buys mostly bedroom furniture. UK and the Gulf countries import kitchen furniture and office furniture. For example, one of the British retail chain sells some Pakistani furniture at its outlets. More than 80 percent of the furniture demand in the country is met by the Chinioti furniture. This industry, combined with the handicraft industry, is employing about 50,000 people.

He quoted the example of Japan that has great scope for Pakistani Furniture, because they like Pakistani traditional hand-carved furniture designs with classic finishing and similar designs can be replicated in USA market, therefore efforts must be made to promote furniture exports by more regular participation in international shows. All this can happen if there is government's strong will for it and a vision among furniture traders.

Secretary PFC Aqul Sardar said PFC is planning a strategy to enhance exports and this sector could touch more than $850 million export target by year 2018 if provided training centres for skill workmanship, women development schemes and high tech machinery, he added.