PTA Chairman Agha Saiddain said that this event would be unique that for the first time, a 13-member delegation of 8 Japanese companies is arriving to participate in the show. It is likely that joint ventures would also be signed besides holding B2B meetings on the occasion. Besides, the Italian investors, international customers and many diplomats have also shown their keen interest to visit the show while Ambassador from Italy and Germany has already confirmed their participation, he added.
Agha Saiddain highlighted the significance of the leather sector and said that it is third largest foreign exchange earning industry after textile and rice. During the year 2017-18, the exports of leather sector stood at US $948.265 million which is 4.08 percent of the total exports and 2.67 percent of the GDP. Leather sector employees about one million people directly and indirectly, he added.
"This year the importance of PMLS is more than the previous years as present government is sincerely trying their best to boost the exports. Unfortunately, due to lack of export friendly policies of the previous regimes, the leather sector export remains stagnant for the last 10 years. Our leather sector exports dropped by 22 percent during the last 10 years while India, China and Bangladesh have recorded 63 percent, 55 percent and 224 percent increase, respectively, during the same period, he maintained.