Pakistan: Import and Exports

[singaporean]

ISLAMABAD: Deputy head of mission/incharge d’ affairs, Kazakhstan embassy, Aidar Gundubayev Wednesday said Pakistan could import oil and gas products from Kazakhstan at cheaper rates. He said Kazakhstan was interested in importing rice, sugar and meat products, and equipment and technology from Pakistan. Talking to members of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Gundubayev said National Bank of Pakistan has a branch in Almati (Kazakhstan), which showed the importance of close relations between the two countries. He said during 2007, mutual trade between the two countries was around $ 27 million, which was rising fast.

[siamu maharaj]

Why sell cheap gas and oil to Pakistan when they can sell it for more to other countries? What are they getting in return?

[Naresh]

Originally Posted by SiamuRathka

Why sell cheap gas and oil to Pakistan when they can sell it for more to other countries? What are they getting in return?

SailmuRathka :

As you are aware Gwadar is going to be the “Premier Port” for the Central Asian Republics.

As such, in my opinion, Kazakhstan is only expanding its relations with Pakistan by supplying Pakistan with Oil and Gas to complement its relationship of using Gwadar for its Exports and Imports thereby further strengthening the Mutual Relationship between the two Countries.

Pipe Lines transporting Gas and Oil to Pakistan could be easily extended to Gwadar for onward Exports to rest of the World.

Cheers

[singaporean]

ISLAMABAD, Aug 7: The Economic Monitoring Committee (EMC) asked the ministry of petroleum on Thursday to prepare proposals for curtailing oil consumption in order to lower the oil import bill which has now reached $11 billion.

The EMC which met under Minister for Finance, Privatisation and Investment Syed Naveed Qamar also directed the ministry to make public the oil pricing structure in order to safeguard people’s interest.

It advised the ministry to specify government’s guidelines in sync with the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on gas pricing mechanism to the benefit of public at large.

The issue of recent declines in oil prices was also discussed and some committee members are reported to have urged the government to look into the matter and offer some relief to the people.

“The government may initially provide some relief to those who had been affected by the increase in diesel prices over the past few months,” a source quoted the finance minister as saying.

The committee said a decision to grant a waiver by relaxing the framework for setting up more CNG stations in Balochistan would provide relief to the common man.

It reaffirmed earlier decisions not to apply ban on sugar export on LCs opened prior to the announcement of ban.

It advised Minfal that decision to import refined or raw sugar must be taken in conjunction with fixing prices.

The EMC had directed Minfal to finalise a decision on wheat release prices after meeting provincial food secretaries and taking into consideration their viewpoint.

The ministry of industries was advised to convene a meeting of the committee on fertilisers to formulate recommendations on subsidy mechanism and submit the report.

The Minfal briefed the EMC on the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association’s existing and carry-forward stock position and said that stability in prices of foodgrains compared well with prices in regional countries—India, Iran, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

It was observed that sugar prices in international market had been rising continuously from October 2007 to June this year.

But, in domestic market, sugar prices remained stable since the export ban.

The finance minister advised that fertiliser-related subsidy should remain focused to domestic consumers in terms of relief and benefit.

The Minfal also briefed the EMC on the outcome of its meeting with provincial food departments and said that the federal government might decide on wheat release prices.

The EMC directed the Minfal to work out the issue price in consultation with provinces, authorising them to decide the dates of release of wheat as per local circumstances which governed local cost calculations.

Minfal informed the EMC that the forthcoming shipment of 36,000 tons of wheat should arrive on August 10, followed by the second and third shipments on August 15 and 21 (40,000 and 36,000 tones respectively).

The fourth shipment of 40,000 tones of wheat will arrive on August 26 followed by further imports on voyage time basis of the ships engaged.

The Minfal, also informed EMC that Pakistan’s projected edible oil consumption was likely to be around 2.8 million tons.

Taking stock of declining international edible oil prices, domestic oil and ghee rates have registered a fall in the open market.

[Intoxication]

EXPORTS:

[siamu maharaj]

Basically garments

[Intoxication]

Originally Posted by siamu maharaj

Basically garments

Garments/Textiles make up the vast majority of our exports. We're too dependent upon these low value, high bulk products.

[Pakia]

Originally Posted by Intoxication

Garments/Textiles make up the vast majority of our exports. We're too depandent upon these low value, high bulk products.

Agree!

[singaporean]

KARACHI, Nov 7: The country earned around $220 million on export of little over 0.3 million tons of alcohol up to Oct 31 while another 50,000 tons of alcohol is expected to be exported during the November-December period.

The country produced around 2.661 million tons of molasses during 2007-08 sugarcane crushing season and on adding 50,000 tons of carry-over stocks at terminals and an equal quantity at the mills, the total available stocks of molasses stood at 2.761 million tons, industry and export sources said.

Since conversion ratio of molasses to alcohol stands at 5:1 (five tons of molasses required to produce one ton of alcohol), the estimated requirement of distilleries stood at 1.650 million tons for molasses.

Sources said alcohol prices in the world market remained on the upper side during 2008 which enabled the country to earn more foreign exchange through exports. After touching around $800 per ton, alcohol prices receded back to $600 per ton.

Consequently, on exporting around 312,000 tons up to October 31, 2008, at an average price of $725 per ton, the country managed to earn around $220 million through export of alcohol.

According to industry sources, the country exported around 1,90,585 tons of alcohol last year (2006-07) and earned $112 million at an average price $550 per ton.

With advent of each sugarcane crushing season, the country had been exporting millions of tons of molasses at throwaway prices to European countries and Japan, Mohammad Kasim Hashim, chairman, Terminal Association of Pakistan (TAP), said.

However, for the last several years it is being converted into three grades of alcohol i.e. fuel or anhydrous, neutral or extra neutral (ENA) and industrial or rectified ethanol (REN), Mr Hashim said.

Presently around 16 distilleries are operating in the country at 60 per cent capacity, he added.

The TAP chief further stated that as more and more distilleries are coming up every year, there has been a constant rise in export of alcohol.

During 2004, the country exported 99,711 tons of alcohol, but in the subsequent year, the figure jumped to 122,104 tons.

After exporting around 255,812 tons last year (2007), the country is now poised to export a record volume of 350,000 tons of alcohol this year (2008), he maintained.

He said around 9,000 tons of alcohol had been exported this year through ISO containers which were the latest method for haulage of liquid cargo.

Giving some details, Mohammad Kasim Hashim said that ISO containers/tank are filled with alcohol from distilleries and loaded on trailers for direct loading on to ships.

These tanks are air-tight and expensive because they are first cleaned by steam and are used only after survey is carried out.

He, however, said that the industry is encouraging use of ISO tanks because they are fast for haulage of liquid cargo and are also easy to handle.

Presently they are mostly reaching Dubai, but in coming years will encourage their use for Middle East and Africa, he added.

Export of alcohol is being hindered by congestion at the Karachi Port where tanker ships have to wait for their turn for several days, resulting in heavy demurrage charges.

This is also draining out valuable foreign exchange because demurrage is paid in dollars, TAP secretary Sultan Ahmed complained.

[siamu maharaj]

Why are we selling it for throwaway prices? And what has that got to do with the advent of the crushing season?

[Plasma.]

Thank to Amar from the Bangladesh forums for the picture.

Seems like we are the fourth biggest exporters of materials to Wal-Mart.

[brightside.]

Lots of 'made in Pakistan' cheap clothes in Wal-Mart.

[GoBaby]

Originally Posted by Intoxication

Garments/Textiles make up the vast majority of our exports. We're too dependent upon these low value, high bulk products.

Because we don't have skilled labour and especially graduates with degrees other than BCS, BBA, BCom and MBBS. We need loads more Civil & Electrical Engineers, along with chemists before we can even think about becoming an economic power or at least getting rid of the poverty.

I was discussing this the other day with my friends that some of the computer products (software & hardware) are NOT that hard to design and build, but so far only foreign companies are taking advantage of this and making hundreds of millions if not billions off of it. We need more desktop software, IT software and computer hardware firms in pakistan. That will bring loads of Forex and wealth in pakistan.

[siamu maharaj]

Hardware is NOT easy to make.

[KB]

BHALWAL: Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Nazar Gondal performed the launching ceremony of Metro Cash & Carry Pakistan's export programme of Kinnows to its international network in 8 countries, During the season, Pakistan's Kinnow's will be exported for the first time to China, Belgium, Germany, Poland, and The Netherlands, besides traditional markets of Ukraine and Russia. The export event, organized by METRO in collaboration with Mateela Kino Factory, focuses to introduce Pakistani Kfnos in new international markets, besides the existing ones. Last year, Mateela Kino Factory was instrumental in opening the German market, due to its excellent quality. Also present at the event were Mr. Qamar Zaman Kaira, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas, Provincial Agriculture Minister, Mr. Ahmed AH Aulakh, Provincial Minister for Finance, Planning & Development, Mr. Tanvir Ashraf Kaira & President Kinnow growers association besides prominent farmers and exporters of the area.

METRO Group Buying international (MGBI) and METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan are currently working on exporting high quality Kinnows from Pakistan to METRO Group's markets in Europe and Asia. With METRO Group's presence in 31 countries, it is working dosely with its international partners to make these efforts successful. The aim is to work closely with the agriculture community in Pakistan to develop a diverse product base, complete value chain solutions and open new international markets for Pakistan's agricultural exports. At the occasion, METRO Cash & Carry Pakistan's Offer Management Director, Mr Atila Yenisen said; " Pakistani exporters should avail the opportunity of exporting Fruits and Vegetables to International markets through.

http://thepost.com.pk/CorpNewsT.aspx...196425&catid=8

[GoBaby]

Originally Posted by siamu maharaj

Hardware is NOT easy to make.

Actually it IS. Most of the hardware is designed in software - quite easy if you have an EE or CE degree. As for the fabrication, well even the big companies in US like Intel, Apple etc get that done from contractors in China, Taiwan and the like. You could just as easily design the hardware yourself and get the fabrication (even packaging) from china.

[brightside.]

But to order fabrication of microprocessors and microcontrollers from China isn't that cheap, especially if you want to compete with the likes of Intel or Apple. It's pointless to even try. Unless we establish fabrication plants in Pakistan itself.

[siamu maharaj]

Originally Posted by GoBaby

Actually it IS. Most of the hardware is designed in software - quite easy if you have an EE or CE degree. As for the fabrication, well even the big companies in US like Intel, Apple etc get that done from contractors in China, Taiwan and the like. You could just as easily design the hardware yourself and get the fabrication (even packaging) from china.

A person with an EE degree would design something that was acceptable probably in 1930. Hardware is infinitely more difficult than software. Also, I was talking about 'making', which obviously requires a fab.

[GoBaby]

Originally Posted by brightside.

But to order fabrication of microprocessors and microcontrollers from China isn't that cheap, especially if you want to compete with the likes of Intel or Apple. It's pointless to even try. Unless we establish fabrication plants in Pakistan itself.

No one is talking about making intel class microprocessors. Simple electronics like modems, dVRs, routers etc. As of the fabrication, my point of mentioning Intel & apple was that even these firms don't heavily invest in fabrications facilites themselves either because it's not cost effective. So these independent contractors fabricate for them.

As of the price, manufacturing prices are inversely proportional to the units ordered e.g. the price of a cable model would be much cheaper when ordered in quantities of tens of thousands. This is what western companies do, so you would need capital to get into this business BUT it's definitely do-able.

[GoBaby]

Originally Posted by siamu maharaj

A person with an EE degree would design something that was acceptable probably in 1930. Hardware is infinitely more difficult than software. Also, I was talking about 'making', which obviously requires a fab.

Again, hardware is NOT that difficult. Modern hardware is based on programmable chips so basically write a software that simulates your machine, and when you are all done you program pre-made logic chips. Most of the companies do NOT design their own chips in literal sense of the word, they program them.