ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’ marketing expenditures for international trade and exhibitions fell down to 33 per cent to Rs355 million, from 49 per cent Rs539m between 2014 and 2019.
This was revealed in the performance audit report on the export market development fund of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).
Documents state that TDAP mandate is to improve market access through advertising the government on matters related to trade diplomacy and promoting the business image of Pakistan in key export markets.
The annual federal grant to TDAP has remained almost stagnant, at around Rs1 billion for the last many years.
According to the documents seen by this scribe, the pay and establishment charges have gone up from 51 per cent to 67 per cent (Rs561 million to Rs719 million), whereas the expenditures on marketing, which is mostly in foreign exchange, has gone down from 49 per cent to Rs33 per cent (Rs539 million to Rs355 million).
The TDAP marketing and promotional activities mainly comprise participation of Pakistan exporters in international trade fairs, holding local exhibitions, taking exporters delegation abroad, managing incoming delegation and seminars and marketing resources.
According to details, almost 80 per cent of the total marketing and promotional expenditure is on holding international exhibitions and fairs.Â
The audit department also revealed that more than 50 per cent of total marketing and promotional expenditures on international exhibitions and trade fairs was spent in Frankfurt, Shanghai, Paris, Berlin, Hong Kong, Rome and Moscow.
