Turkey can help Pak businessmen to export products to Europe

LAHORE: Turkey can provide huge opportunities to the Pakistani exporters to market their products including Pak handmade furniture in European markets in collaboration with Turkish companies.

A Turkish furniture producers' delegation headed by a leading Turkish businessman Ahmet on Monday visited 3-days 6th Interiors Pakistan exhibition at Expo Center organised by PFC here at its concluding day.

The members of the delegation also visited the stalls installed by more than 100 leading producers and interior designers and applauded their handmade and solid furniture products. They also held meetings and exchanged views on exploring business opportunities with PFC Chief Executive Mian Kashif Ashfaq and other prominent members.

Talking to media, Ahmet said that Turkey was exporting 65 percent of its textile and vegetables to Europe and "we could also streamline exports from Pakistan to Europe via Turkey as the Turkish firms are well established and well connected with the buyers of these markets", he added.

The Turkish furniture companies were keen to strengthen trade relations with Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) as both countries possessed a good potential to enhance bilateral cooperation in furniture sector by enhancing trade and economic relations.

He said that the businessmen should understand each other to cultivate deep-rooted and sustained business relations, adding that Turkish firms were manufacturing costly and high-quality machine-made furniture for the European consumers.

He said that in Pakistan most of the furniture is hand-made but still it was very cheap and could be marketed in EU countries at a high price.

In this connection, Turkish firms could also play a major role in facilitating Pakistani manufacturers to have direct access to potential customers. He said that Turkish firms have 2,000 show rooms in Turkey and 1,000 in Europe with total turnover of $5 billion per annum.

During briefing to Turkish delegation's visit at exhibition, PFC Chief Mian Kashif Ashfaq said PFC was also continuing its work to develop a Pakistani presence in more countries and act as the focal point for furniture designers and manufacturers to enter the international market.

Underlining the importance of trade and economic ties between the two countries, the PFC Chief said that both countries should identify more areas for cooperation and should also introduce more tradable items to enhance mutual trade volume, especially in the furniture sector.

He said that Turkish companies have shown keen interest in Pakistani market. He asked members of Turkish delegation to persuade its concerned members to visit the exhibition for B2B meetings. "All this can happen if there is government's will and a vision amongst furniture traders. Joint ventures with Turkey through trade commissions for providing machines on lease can bring product quality at par with highest international standards", he added.

Pakistan and Turkey have the trade volume well below the potential as Pakistan exported commodities worth $322.60 million and imported commodities valuing $238.45 million during 2014-15, showing a trade balance of $84.15 million in its favour.

On the 3rd day of mega exhibition, visitors on the lookout for buying furniture enjoyed special discount of up to 20% on different items exhibited at the event.

Later Mr Wang Daxue, Deputy Counsel General of republic of China and Vice President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chairman United Business Group Iftikhar Ali Malik distributed shields and certificates among the exhibitors for displaying their products tastefully.