SIALKOT - Nepalese Ambassador to Pakistan Bharat Raj Paudyal has said that there are wide scope and potential for boosting trade and commerce between the both countries.
He underscored the need for exchange of business delegations for enhancing trade and promotion of investment opportunities between Nepal and Pakistan and the Nepalese Embassy will extend full coperation and support to the business community in this regard, he said.
Addressing the members of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) on Wednesday, the Ambassador further stated that it is right time that Sialkot should become the supplier of sports items and leather products to the Nepalese elites, adding that Nepal was almost a sole supplier of black cardamom and one of the major supplier of high quality tea to Pakistan.He said that agriculture has special potential for expansion of bilateral trade and Nepal and Pakistan can explore products of comparative advantage favoured by specific climatic zones in both countries. He said that Pakistan was the highest per capita tea consuming country in the world while Nepal is one of the finest tea producers.
He said that Nepal in recent past has emerged as one of the best quality producer of coffee and urged upon the Pakistani tea and coffee entrepreneurs to avail advantage of geographic proximity in having these products at competitive price. It is noted that business interaction between Nepal and Pakistan has improved in recent years as a result of which a large number of businessmen are participaing in trade fairs and exhibitions.
Pakistani entrepreneurs in collaboration with their Nepalese counterparts have successully organized three consecutive single country trade fairs in Kathmandu in 2010, 2011 and 2012 while Pakistani businessmen have also participated in several other national and regional trade fairs and exhibitions held in various parts of Nepal, he added.
The Ambassador stressed upon the business community of Pakistan to extend support and cooperation in hosting similar trade fairs of Nepalese products in Pakistan, adding that such trade fairs and exhibitions would help in identifying potentials tradeable products and provide opportunity to build closer business links between the both countries.
In his address of welcome, President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Sheikh Abdul Majid said that it is encouraging that several bilateral trade agreements have been signed between the two countries in the fields of trade, culture, agriculture, establishment of joint Economic Commission and Joint Business
Council. We are also cooperating in the field of human resource development and number of Nepalese students are studying in various professional colleges of Pakistan,” he added.