ISLAMABAD: Pa
kistan’s exports to Indonesia have seen a tremendous increase of 86 percent in first four months of 2017 on Year-on-Year basis.
Pa
kistan exported goods amounting to $91 million in first four months of 2017 as compared to $49 million
in 2016 on Saturday. This upsurge in exports is predominantly due to Pa
kistan’s kinnow export to Indonesia, which have shown good
growth during first four months of 2017. Export of Kinnow reached $48 million mark
in 2017 as compared to $20 million
in 2016.
This phenomenal increase in one season alone is a result of concerted efforts by various departments of Government of Pa
kistan including Embassy of Pa
kistan, Jakar
ta, Indonesia, Trade Development Authority of Pa
kistan (TDAP) and kinnow exporters. Pa
kistan convinced Indonesian Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Agriculture to lift ban from imports of kinnow from Pa
kistan for first four months of the year, whereas last year ban was lifted for merely three months.
Participation in various exhibition and trade shows in Indonesia sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce and TDAP considerably helped fresh fruit exporters to explore Indonesian market. Increase in exports to Indonesia has come at a time when the overall export situation of the country is not very pleasant.
Apart from Kinnow, products like raw cotton, 100 percent broken rice, woven fabric, sardine fish, leather and copper scrap, all are showing positive trends and most likely year 2017 will end with very high
growth trend. Both countries signed a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA)
in 2012 which became operational
in 2013. Pa
kistan’s exports to Indonesia were $156 million
in 2016 which had a huge potential to grow.
Indonesia exports of $2 billion worth of items to Pa
kistan. Pa
kistan’s exports to Indonesia face hurdles due to arbitrary implementation of Technical Barriers to Trade by the Indonesian authorities. Recently, due to its successful commercial diplomacy, Pa
kistan has been able to relax one such unwanted barrier and Pa
kistan’s exports of Kinnow to Indonesia rose exponentially.
Pa
kistan and Indonesia are in the process of reviewing their Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA). Third meeting in this regard is scheduled to be held in August, 2017. During previous review meetings, both sides shared the lists of their concerns regarding the implementation of PTA during the first three years and agreed to take necessary steps to a
ddress those concerns.
Malaysia is watching this review process very closely. It is important to remember that due to the PTA between Pa
kistan and Indonesia
in 2012, Malaysia lost substantial part of its palm oil trade to Indonesia. Malaysia is continuously pursuing for further expansion of its FTA with Pa
kistan. First meeting of FTA review exercise has already been held in Islamabad. Reportedly Malaysia is willing to offer Pa
kistan more concessions on items of its prime interest in-exchange of further concessions on palm oil. This would help Malaysia regain their lost share of exports of Palm oil to Pa
kistan’s, which is at the moment estimated to the tune of $2 billion and has further potential to grow.