Pakistan's exports to Russia Increase
Pakistan Times Business & Commerce Desk

KARACHI: The exports from Pakistan to Russia during March to July 2005 remained at 10.5 million US dollars and rose to 52 million dollars due to initiatives taken by the Pakistan Embassy's commercial section which was reopened there.

The Commercial Section was first established in the Embassy premises temporarily in February, 2005 in a room of the Information section but later setup in a newly hired office near metro Oktyabarskaya.

According to an official report, keeping in view the potential of the Region, the exports to Russia are expected to increase manifold by the end of fiscal 2006-7.

According to the report Pakistani exporters participated in five international exhibitions of textile products, besides visit by four delegations of cutlery and general goods while various individual exporters also visited the Russian Federation to assess the market and find potential buyers of their products.

They were assisted, guided, and helped in achieving the objective.

During 2007, the Commercial Section intends to provide a boost to exports to Russia by participating in more exhibitions of various products and invite more delegations.

A big delegation of Russian Importers, for the first time, was brought to Pakistan to participate in Expo-2006.

The report said that individual and collective exporters are being motivated, persuaded, guided and helped in arranging quick visas and match meetings with the Pakistani buyers in Pakistan.

The exports of kinu (mandarin) were largely introduced as Russain market is the biggest importer of kinu (Mandarin).

Besides textile items there is a huge market of rice, fresh fruits and vegetables, fabrics, home textiles, fish and seafood, dates, leather products, pharmaceuticals, cutlery products, sports goods and other non-traditional items.

The commercial Section has planned to double its efforts to increase manifold the exports from Pakistan and realize the actual potential and which is expected to grow manifold in future.

In this regard a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) valuing US $ 4.4 million wa signed in March 2006 at the time of Expo-2006. The representative of M/s RUSPAK was motivated to visit Pakistan and hospitality was extended by the then Export Promotion Bureau and Pakistani Company, Ghausia Trade, Lahore and M/S RUSPAK, St: Petersburg. Pakistani kinu exporters visited Moscow during November 2006.

They had meetings with the big Russian importers like M/s Globus Russia, M/S Soyuzpomcontrakt and M/s Moscow International Business Association. Big chains of retail outlets, M/s Paparus, M/S Nature Food, etc wee organized by the Commercial Section, Moscow.

The importers were accompanied personally by the Minister (Trade) to motivate and persuade the Russian buyers ton conduct business with Pakistan.

As a result of these efforts four contracts materialized between Pakistan exporters of Kinu (mandarin) and the Russian buyers.

The commercial section, Moscow has also approached the Ministry of Economic development and trade of the Russian federation for signing of the preferential Trading Agreement, which will finally lead to free trade agreement.

A working group of the Pakistani and Russian officials has been established and the first meeting is expected to be held in the second half of January 2007 as normally then month of December is observed by the russians as holiday due to Christmas, New Year and harsh and adverse weather conditions.●