Prolonged power outages in the country, especially the industrial sector of Karachi, have severely hampered export of marble which has declined by 65 per cent during last six months. The country has exported marble worth $13 million against the targeted $50 million during July to December 2011. The current export figure has also shown a decline of 65 per cent as compared to $20 million the country fetched during the corresponding period of financial year 2010-2011.
As a corollary of the eight to 12 hours long electricity load shedding the industry has faced huge losses as marble factories remained closed for up to 15 hours, Sanaullah Khan Chairman, All Pakistan Marble Mining, Processing and Export Industry told Profit on Wednesday. The target of $100 million set for financial year 2011-2012 would remain a distant dream despite of the fact that the country recorded over 70 per cent growth in marble exports last year, he added.
Though the law and order situation in the city especially Qasba Colony area has improved during last couple of months, the extensive power outages have exacerbated the production of marble industries located in the area. Sanaullah said Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) has reduced the loadshedding hours from 12 hours to eight hours after a series of protest launched by the city’s marble industrialists. But the eight hours of breakdown were enough to dismantle the marble sector, he concluded emphatically. Intriguingly, KESC was supplying uninterrupted power supply to Gidani, another marble industries unit of the city, he said; adding that present exports of country were also based on block and raw materials exports especially to China.
Also, other exporters of the product like China, India et al have got an edge over Pakistani exporters owing to these inevitable circumstances of frequent electric load shedding, high cost of production. The sector is now losing valued export orders from potential foreign customers, which is causing the loss of precious foreign exchange. He also advised the government that instead of making short term decisions for meeting shortfall of electricity and energy conservation, concerned authorities should focus on permanent solutions to purge the country of continued power crisis for smooth running of industrial units for the growth of industries.
He also demanded government to arrange early shifting of marble industries to the already approved Marble City besides providing all utility services.
