KARACHI - Pakistan Electric Fans Manufacturers Association (PEFMA) urged the government to bear the total cost, instead of 50 percent announced in Trade Policy 2009-12, of Safety Standards Certification by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) which will help to give them access to the US and North American markets. While talking to The Nation on Tuesday, PEFMA Executive Member Tanveer Abbas said that we will increase our exports up to $1b, alone form Gujrat, if they are provided with the UL certificates, whose process costs us Rs1m. He further said that the certificates PEFMA currently have are CU (Countries of European), SASO (Saudi Arabia Standard Organization), and SABS (South African Board of Standard) and that cost us Rs 0.175m, Rs 0.1m, and 0.2m respectively. Through UL certification we will have access to the US and North American markets which will double our export potential, only form Gujrat, from current $500m to $1b and it will also help the govt in terms of returns, he added. It is pertinent to mention here that SMEs are deprived of UL certificates by dint of their financial weight, and only two companies, Pak Fan and GFC, have UL certificates in Pakistan, therefore, it has been decided in the current trade policy that 50pc cost of UL certification would be borne by the government. He informed that an American funded Business Support Fund was initiated for SMEs in 2007-8, in which 10% sharing was given to the SMEs for their development, but unfortunately it was not extended since then. The PEFMA urged the government to announce this industry zero-rated along with decrease in import duties on raw material and tariff on electricity and gas, which will help boost their vital industry both at international and international market.