ISLAMABAD: Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) President Anjum Nisar on Wednesday urged the government and private sector to join hands for raising its forest cover from 5 per cent to 25 per cent to meet the ever-growing needs of the country’s furniture industry.
The FPCCI president urged the furniture industry to remain resilient by innovating, adopting technology as well as diversifying export markets in order to sustain demand in the long run as the global economy reels from the pandemic.
“We have to overcome challenges to strengthen our market share; we must continue to produce innovative and market-oriented products to meet challenging times,” he added.
Anjum Nisar said in the absence of enough supplies of wood, cheaper furniture made of fancy and laminated sheets of chipboard has flooded the local market.
He said wooden furniture, like that of sheeshum wood, is quite expensive that is why Shishum’s furniture is made for selected buyers only.
He said the Pakistan furniture industry has the potential to be a substantial one at multiple levels as it can contribute significantly to the GDP and employ numerous people with varying skills in specialist furniture.
He acclaimed Pakistani furniture designers and craftsmen and suggested that experts should play their part in enhancing furniture exports. “The country has excellent craftsmen and designers, who can virtually give life to a piece of wood,” he said, adding that Pakistani craftsmen should work in this particular area to earn much-needed foreign exchange.”
