. State Bank Governor Dr Ishrat Hussain has advised the textile manufacturers and exporters to raise productivity and reduce wastage in order to compete in the free trade era.

. Exporters are allowed to import accessories under the Duty and Tax Remission Rules for Export (DTRE) up to 10% of the total value of the export contract.

. The Textile Quota Management Directorate of EPB has announced the availability of flexibilities in various quota categories in the US, the EU, Canada and Turkey under bilateral agreements.

. The government has extended temporary importation scheme allowed under SRO 410 till June 30, 2004 on the persistent demand of importers.

. Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmud Kasuri told the Senate that exports to European Union had increased by 22% last year.

. Export Promotion Bureau is organising a single country exhibition in Bahrain from February 17 to 20, 2004. The entire range of Pak-exportable products will be displayed during the exhibition.

. As the textile sector has not been able to fulfil conditions to avail exemption of 'further tax' on the supply of spun yarn, the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has decided not to extend amnesty of 'further tax' exemption to any other value-added sector.

. Domestic jute industry has the capacity of producing more than 160,000 tons per annum, which is sufficient to meet the demand of jute goods in the country (95,486 tons in 2003) leaving substantial balance available for export, said PJMA Vice Chairman Muhammad Jamil Hussain.

. The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has decided to launch an "Indicative Value System" (IVS) to ensure an early clearance of imports as well as to control under-invoicing and misdeclaration.

. Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali has called upon the exporters and people associated with commerce and industry to redouble their efforts for enhancing exports.

. The Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA) has fixed an export target of $1.0 billion per annum for all the export-processing Zones (EPZs) in the country, said EPZA Chairman, Lieutenant Colonel Akbar Hussain (retd).

. South Asian countries including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, have decided to form a free trade area. The reduction in tariffs is expected to boost textile trade, helping in lowering costs necessary for facing competition from China in the post-quota era.

. Market capitalisation of Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) has crossed the minimum international benchmark of $20 billion, Governing Board of Directors and Chairman KSE Arif Habib said.

. Pakistan has export potential and will achieve $12.1 billion exports target in the fiscal year 2003-04. It will be for fourth consecutive year in the country's exports growth - for the first time in last 50 years, said Tariq Ikram, Minister of State and Chairman of Export Promotion Bureau.

. Pakistan would gain benefits in some sectors while there would be some sectors which would face competition after implementation of South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) among the SAARC states, said Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan.

. Member Customs, Central Board of Revenue (CBR), Mohammad Ramzan Bhatti has said that the Section 25 of the new proposed International Trade Price (ITP) database scheme is fully in conformity with the WTO and GATT and that the Section is already vetted. He urged the business community to opt for the new system as it provided better facilities.

. Bedlinen is a major commodity of export from Pakistan to the EU member countries. In the recent past the volume of EU countries exports has substantially increased from US$230 million in 2001 to US$345 million in 2003.

. European textiles manufacturers want the EU to activate a similar procedure after business has struggled over the last 18 months since China's entry to the World Trade Organisation and the removal of quotas on many goods.

. After being so strictly restricted, China's exports to the European Union are expected surging in 2005 before Brussels will possibly impose new quotas, as allowed by the agreement on China's WTO accession.

. According to the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA), China is going to establish a textile industry complex in Dhaka Export Processing Zone (EPZ).

. Zambia would continue to enjoy tariff preferences by US government under the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA).

. China's leading cotton-producing area is expected to produce 782,700 tons of cotton during 2003-04, close to that of 800,000 tons for last year.

. Wool prices continued rising this week (January 23) in Australia with finer qualities even jumping between 7% to 8%, as a result of stronger demand and a lack of quality wool.

. US apparel imports declined more than 7% in volume terms in December in contrast with the rebound observed in the first part of last year. Imports from China rose less substantially while shipments from Vietnam and a series of other Asian countries clearly plunged.

. EU's textile and apparel industries asked EU's authorities to impose textile quotas on imports of filament fabrics from China, while US trade officials for imports of knitted fabrics; dressing gowns and bras have decided a similar treatment.

. The Dominican Republic domestic apparel industry will face additional difficulties after US quotas will have been eliminated on imports from Asia, effective from 1 January, 2005.

. To survive in post quota era and to face the challenges of globalisation after the phasing out of the quota facilities, Bangladesh needs to produce quality garments.

. Syed Shah Nawaz Hussain, India's Union Minister for textiles, has announced the dedication of 2004 as "The Indian Textile Year." 2004 marks an important milestone for the Indian textile industry with the abolition of the multi-fibre agreement, opening the floodgates for textile exports world-wide.

. The Chinese share of the European market has gone up five-fold for anoraks and jackets and a similar increase has been noted for the tracksuit sector over the past year and a half.

. Effective from December 23rd, the United States formally re-imposed quotas on imports of knitted fabrics, bras and dressing gowns from China. A series of other products could also be subject to similar actions in the coming months.

. Demand for cotton yarns is expected further rising in 2004, although cotton costs are currently very high in China and export rebates are being lowered.

. Global cotton consumption is expected further declining from 20.65 million tons in 2003-2004 down to 20.59 million tons in 2004-2005.

. Thailand will both gain and lose from the European Union's revision of tariff benefits under the Generalised System of Preferences GSP from January 2004. A preliminary announcement shows that some items in the textile segments may lose preferential tariff rates.

. India's textile exports amount to about Indian Rs. 600 billion (approximately $13 billion) per year, contributing to about 30% of the country's total exports and generating employment for nearly 100 million people.