KARACHI, Pakistan: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan will launch initiatives to boost exports through agricultural value addition, digital trade facilitation and stronger public-private partnerships, Secretary Sheryar Taj said during a visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Taj stressed that Pakistan must move beyond raw commodity exports to maximize its trade potential. He highlighted TDAP’s Preferential Trade Access Database, which consolidates 29 trade arrangements covering 93 countries and allows exporters to identify tariff concessions by entering a product’s HS code. TDAP will hold training sessions at KCCI to help members use the platform.
Taj said digitization of Certificates of Origin enabled TDAP to issue about 40,000 certificates in its first full year, benefiting roughly 12,000 exporters, saving 10 million rupees in annual form-related costs and generating about 80 million rupees in revenue.
He announced that the fourth FoodAg Manufacturing exhibition will be held in Karachi from Nov. 23–26, featuring about 360 companies across 15 sectors. TDAP also plans agricultural and horticultural value-addition exhibitions in Lahore in March and Quetta in collaboration with provincial governments.
WEXNET, a women’s entrepreneurship program, will expand to Quetta following events in Peshawar, Sialkot and Sukkur, Taj said. TDAP received 160 applications within two weeks and sought KCCI’s support in nominating experienced businesswomen to mentor entrepreneurs in Balochistan.
He also announced TEXPO for April 2–4 at the Karachi Expo Centre and a Made in Pakistan exhibition in Dhaka from April 28–30, 2027. TDAP will subsidize 80% of stall costs for the Bangladesh exhibition and provide qualifying women entrepreneurs with 50% airfare support and a daily allowance.
Zubair Motiwala, chairman of the Businessmen Group, called for an urgent review of Pakistan’s Free Trade Agreement with China, noting that exports to China had increased only marginally while imports had risen substantially. He urged both countries to identify exportable products and address market-access barriers.
Motiwala also called for a comprehensive blue economy roadmap, saying fisheries, aquaculture and maritime industries could generate up to $10 billion within two years. He stressed the need to modernize fishing vessels, develop hatcheries and expand marine-sector investment.
He urged TDAP to bring international food processors and manufacturers to Pakistan to develop value-added products from rice, pulses and other commodities, generating higher export earnings and employment.
KCCI President Talat Mahmood assured TDAP of the chamber’s full cooperation and said the TDAP Help Desk at KCCI was expected to become operational within three to four days. He pledged to nominate two women entrepreneurs for TDAP’s Quetta initiative, support participation in the Bangladesh exhibition and ensure strong KCCI representation at FoodAg.
Mahmood also sought Taj’s intervention to help recover about $1 million in outstanding export proceeds related to a rice shipment to the Government of Oman, which had reportedly remained unpaid for about 18 months despite previous efforts to resolve the matter.
