LAHORE - All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has presented a visionary document on trade policy for the period 2009-12 with a focus on competitiveness, investment, production of exportable surplus and to generate employment in the country. This document has proposed practical measures to the government with a pragmatic approach in the backdrop of the unprecedented crisis being faced by the textile industry and exports. The extraordinary magnitude of the crisis calls for dynamic remedial measures in three vital areas including supply side constraints, fresh investments and market access, emphasises the trade policy document of APTMA. The APTMA spokesman said the supply side constraints should be removed immediately to achieve industrys competitiveness in the region. As electricity constitutes around 40pc of the total operating costs, it is an urgent need of the hour to manage it prudently by extending first priority to the textile industry both the electricity and gas supply. Also, said the APTMA spokesman, the cross subsidy in gas tariff being borne by the textile industry should be withdrawn immediately. He further urged to rationalise electricity tariff to make textile industry internationally competitive and an attractive option to Small Power Producers (SPPs) be extended to make investment in electricity generation to meet energy shortage. In addition, said APTMA spokesman, a redressal of raw material constraints is imperative for focusing on issues relating to cotton production, cotton warehousing, abolishment of duties/levies on import of Polyester Staple Fibre (PSF) and other Man Made Fibre (MMF) besides permission for import of PSF from India. On the financial constraints, , the government should made available export refinance to all textile exports including yarns and greige fabric. Also, the LTFF should also be extended to spinning industry. In order to encourage investment to produce export surplus, the APTMA has urged the government to ensure import of machinery and spare parts on zero rate tax and the LTFF should be extended to any investment. For creating synergies of operation and economies of scale APTMA has proposed appropriate legislation/regulations for encouraging mergers and acquisitions. Also, the govt should introduce 15pc tax credit regime to encourage investment in textile industry. The APTMA trade policy has also proposed workable steps to encourage foreign investment in trade policy. With respect to exports promotion measures, APTMA has proposed to make duty and tax remission schemes workable, easy to operate and manage. Further, it has stressed on industry friendly anti-dumping laws with raw material relating provisions i.e. competing interests should be balanced. Also, the public interest clause should be added to these laws. On market access, the APTMA has stressed on trade diplomacy, image building of the country and compensation to the industry for losses being made out of present distort image. Establishment of export houses and arresting of exports decline through long-term trade policy are a few more suggestions on this front in the APTMA Trade Policy. Regarding supply chain management issues, the areas like logistics, system inefficiencies and undue delays in processing are required to be minimised ahead.