Exhibit promotes textile business

Textiles exhibition opened in Nangarhar. Textile factories operating in Nangarhar showcased scarves, men’s and women’s shawls and cotton cloth in the exhibition on 15 January 2012.

Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) officials, members of Nangarhar Industrial Association, traders, Provincial Council members and other Afghan and U.S. Government representatives attended the opening ceremony. 

The eastern region of Afghanistan, particularly Nangarhar, has a long history of textile production. Kama, Rodat, Batikot, and Behsud districts are well known for weaving cotton cloth, scarves, turbans, towels, traditional woolen hats, blankets, and shawls for the local market.

Mohammad Qasim Yousufi, NCCI Executive Manager said that the exhibit attracted buyers and helped interlink textile businesses with other markets in Afghanistan. According to him those kinds of gatherings play a vital role in sharing experiences on imported textile varieties available in the market so local production could be improved.

Demand is high in Afghanistan for traditional textile products produced in small-scale factories and home-based businesses. The products are so popular that it was deemed necessary to move from manual to power looms to keep up with demand.

USAID-funded IDEA-NEW project offered support to local factories operating with manual looms, to install automatic power looms -- expanding their production capacity several fold. USAID has assisted 16 small and medium sized textile facilities in Nangarhar, including a textile processing facility that provides washing, dying, and pressing services to other local textile factories. In addition to producing textile products locally, these businesses have generated 91 permanent jobs for locals in the region.

USAID’s IDEA-NEW Project focuses on increasing jobs and sales in rural and marginalized communities across the North, East, and West of Afghanistan. It is committed to supporting rural enterprises in terms of building their capacity, providing them with sustainable sources of power and electricity, improving the quality of their products, and linking them to provincial and national markets.

Afghan Textile Exhibition opened in Jalalabad City

Today, 15 January 2012, a one-day textiles exhibition opened for 16 small and medium scale textile weaving factories.

The exhibition was arranged jointly by Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) and USAID’s IDEA-NEW program.

Engineer Mohammad Qasim Yousufi, NCCI Executive Manager said the purpose behind the exhibition was to attract people’s attention to domestic textiles products.

He said that nearly 300 locals are busy weaving scarves, men’s and women’s shawls and cotton cloth in Nangarhar.

He added that such kind of gatherings help share experiences on imported textile varieties available in the market.

Private Sector Development Manager for USAID’s IDEA-NEW program, Safiullah said that they have provided with automatic weaving machines to textile weaving facilities, operating manually before, in Kama, Behsud, Rodat and Sherzad districts of Nangarhar.

He added that they had trained locals on cloth processing, dying and pressing. They used to ship their products to Pakistan for processing but we have provided them these services locally.

He said the factories import textile weaving raw materials such as yarn and wool from Pakistan but IDEA-NEW is making efforts to establish a yarn and other relevant materials producing factory with in the country.

He also said that they have granted each factory 5000 to 20000 USD and have provided a total of 220000 USD as grant to date.

A textile weaver, Mirza said: “with the help of this exhibition, people will know that such kinds of textiles are weaved domestically and shopkeepers of city will come to their factories from now on.”

Another textile weaver, Mohammad Zaman, said that demand is very high for their products and are sold at the factory. He added that he has five machines and weave 50 male shawls and 75 female shawls and those traders who used to bring textiles from Pakistan now come to us since our prices are not high than Pakistan.

It’s worth mentioning that Afghan products were sold in Jalalabad city and other nearby market under the trade mark of Pakistan before opening the exhibition. According to the public, Afghan products prove to compete with products imported from neighbor countries.

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An exhibition opened for showcasing textile products of 16 textile factories from Nangarhar.  Tens of people including government officials visited the exhibition. The exhibition was arranged together by USAID’s IDEA-NEW and Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce and Industry in NCCI’s compound. Engineer Mohammad Qasim Yousufi, Executive manager of NCCI, told about the purposes of the exhibition as:

Engineer Mohammad Qasim Yousufi, Executive manager of NCCI: “The exhibition is aimed at marketing for their products and to make government and non-government organizations know how many textile factories are there and what are they producing and also to understand the rule which say that at first Afghan products should be bought. It also merits mentioning that some traders who import textiles were invited from Kabul to come to see the products in order to provide them opportunity to buy them in future.”

Textile weaving factories’ owners say that their business has promoted since IDEA-NEW started supporting them in various fields.

A textile weaver: “My name is Hakim. Our factory named Kareem textiles is located near Saracha’s bridge. We weave male shawls, female suits, and woolen male and female shawls. I mean we produce any design. Praise be to Allah, our business runs well. We are so pleased with the business. The IDEA-NEW program helps us. With their granted machinery and our own efforts, we run the business. They have bought us machines.”

Safiullah, PSD manager for IDEA-NEW program says that they have provided nearly 200,000 USD as grant to 28 textile weaving factories in different areas.

Safiullah: “now they can weave textiles with automatic machines given by IDEA-NEW. IDEA-NEW helped them and purchased machinery for them. They had another problem; after weaving the cloth, it needs pressing and dying, they would take their cloth to Pakistan for pressing and dying and bring it back. Two years ago, a pressing and washing facility was established by IDEA-NEW in 10^th canal of Behsud district. The problem that weaving factories’ owners were faced with was solved.”

Those countrymen who came to the exhibition expressed their happiness as:

A visitor: “I’m Himat resident of Jalalabad city. In fact, it is pleasure for every Afghan. When I myself came to the exhibition, I saw some textile products that I had seen in the city market coming from neighbor countries before. But now it is time of happiness that men’s and women’s shawls are weaved in our own country particularly in Nangarhar. It is proud for everyone. I want government officials to support factory owners more in order to make them stronger.”

NCCI officials say that Nangarhar Governor Office has promised to allocate 6 Megawatts of electricity to industrial park, out of the electricity coming from Naghlo Dam to Nangarhar. This will help solve electricity problems of factories.   

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A day-long textile exhibition opened in Nangarhar. 28 textile weaving factories showcased their products in the exhibition. The factories’ owners consider lack of electricity and lack space as main obstacles to their business. On the other hand, local officials acknowledge some of their difficulties and say that they have started efforts for solving them.

Rahmatullah Zayrmal reports about this:

“NCCI’s executive manager, Mohammad Qasim Yousufi said that the day-long textile exhibition was arranged jointly with USAID’s IDEA-NEW in NCCI compound in Jalalabad city on Sunday. He said that textile weavers from various districts showcased their products including scarves, men’s and women’s shawls and other textiles in the exhibition. He added that the purpose of the exhibition was to find market for domestic products and inform the public.

Yousufi: “the exhibition aims at finding market for the products and making government, non-governmental organizations and the public notice that the products are available here. Particularly, government and non-governmental organizations should prefer the products as law says.”

Although some of the weavers are pleased with the opening of exhibition, they want the government to provide electricity and space for them and cut taxes on their products.

A textile weaver: “we expect government officials to assist us in providing machines and other implements.”

Another textile weaver: “a few days ago, I weaved cloth here and shipped to Pakistan for dying. They took 24,000 rupees from me in Torkham border. Legally, 3,000 rupees went to government and the rest was gone to others’ pockets. These are problems we have. We should be exempted from the tax. If we transport our products to any province, we should be exempted from the tax. For instance, tax should be exempted on our products which we carry to Pakistan and the yarn we bring from Pakistan. They should find such a trader to invest in in providing yarn and electricity.”

According to NCCI officials, there are 28 small and large textile weaving factories operating in Nangarhar, employing more than 400 locals. 

NCCI officials acknowledge the problems of electricity and space for operating but say that they have talked to relevant departments about these problems.

Meanwhile, USAID’s IDEA-NEW-East officials said that they have granted 200,000 USD for purchasing machinery to 16 textile weaving factories, including a textile processing facility.  

A textiles exhibition opened with USAID’s assistance in Jalalabad city.

Reporter: “scarves, men’s and women’s shawls and other various cotton products weaved in a number of textile factories from the region were showcased in the exhibition arranged by NCCI.

Engineer Mohammad Qasim Yousufi said that their purpose from the exhibition was to find market for domestic products and give people information.

He added they have invited traders from eastern region as well as from Kabul in order to get domestic products instead of imported ones.

Safiullah, PSD manager for IDEA-NEW program says that they have provided financial assistance worth 200,000 USD in buying machines to 16 textile weaving factories including a textile processing facility in Nangarhar.

The textile weavers who showcased their products expressed their happiness and said that they had received considerable technical assistance through IDEA-NEW.

A textile weaver named Habibullah said that main obstacle to their business is lack of electricity. According to him, if electricity is provided for them and a ban is imposed on foreign products, they will get much profit and will be self-reliant.”

The mentioned exhibition was arranged by IDEA-NEW’s financial assistance for finding market and selling textiles produced by textile weaving factories in Nangarhar. Before opening the exhibition, in the gathering, Mohammad Haneef Gardiwal expressed his happiness about the exhibition and said that the Governor House makes all kinds of efforts for developing the private sector to provide work opportunity for the countrymen and pave the way for economic growth.

The Deputy Governor, Mohammad Haneef Gardiwal, assured the textile factories’ owners that the Governor House will step up their efforts for transferring electricity from Naghlo and electricity problems will be solved to an extent till upcoming summer season. On behalf of IDEA-NEW, Abdul Wakil said that there are 16 textiles weaving factories in Jalalabad city and in a number of districts employing nearly 400 locals.

Executive Manager of NCCI, Engineer Mohammad Qasim Yousufi said that scarves, men’s and women’s shawls, cotton cloth, towels, Pakols (traditional hats) and others are weaved in these factories.

Yousufi said that the products of the mentioned factories have good market in the region and capital of the country.  

At the end of the ceremony, Deputy Governor, a number of government officials and the public visited the exhibition.

Afghan Textiles Exhibition Opened In Jalalabad

A one-day textiles exhibition opened in Jalalabad on 15 January 2012.

The exhibition was arranged with joint assistance of USAID’s IDEA-NEW program and Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Executive Manager of NCCI, Mohammad Qasim Yousufi told about arranging the exhibition to journalists: “based on Afghan president’s decree to attract people to see Afghani products and buy them. So, 16 textile weavers from several districts of Nangarhar including Jalalabad city showcased their products today.”

As to know how IDEA-NEW assists textile weavers, Private Sector Development manager for IDEA-NEW told as: “they used to weave with manual loops. IDEA-NEW bought them automatic machines and trained locals on textile weaving in districts. Beside this, another problem of textile weavers was to carry their products to Pakistan for processing and dying. IDEA-NEW established a textile dying facility for them. Bringing yarn from Pakistan is another problem they still have. IDEA-NEW plans to establish yarn producing facility in near future and handed it over to them.”

Mirza, a textile weaver from Batikot district, who had brought his products to the exhibition, said that they would ship their products to markets but with the help of this exhibition, traders will refer to them and will make textile in accordance with their orders as from now on.

Mirwais, a resident of Jalalabad city, who had bought a woolen shawl in the exhibition says that prior to the exhibition, they would see the textiles in the market under the brand of Pakistan. He was happy to know that they are Afghani products. He added that although he has a shawl, he buys another shawl since it is Afghani product.

It is worth mentioning that 16 textile weaving factories have been established in Kama, Behsud, Dari-Noor, Rodat and Batikot including Jalalabad city with IDEA-NEW’s assistance. In addition to weaving men’s and women’s shawl, cotton cloth, scarves and woolen blankets are also weaved in these factories.

Afghan Textile Exhibition opened in Jalalabad City

Today, 15 January 2012, a one-day textiles exhibition opened for 16 small-scale and medium textile weaving factories.

The exhibition was arranged jointly by Nangarhar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) and USAID’s IDEA-NEW program.

Engineer Mohammad Qasim Yousufi, NCCI Executive Manager said the purpose behind the exhibition was to attract people’s attention to domestic textiles products.

He said that nearly 300 locals are busy weaving scarves, men’s and women’s shawls and cotton cloth in Nangarhar.

He added that such kind of gatherings help share experiences on imported textile varieties available in the market.

Private Sector Development Manager for USAID’s IDEA-NEW program, Safiullah said that they have provided with automatic weaving machines to textile weaving facilities, operating manually before, in Kama, Behsud, Rodat and Sherzad districts of Nangarhar.

He added that they had trained locals on cloth processing, dying and pressing. They used to ship their products to Pakistan for processing but we have provided them these services locally.

He said the factories import textile weaving raw materials such as yarn and wool from Pakistan but IDEA-NEW is making efforts to establish a yarn and other relevant materials producing factory with in the country.

He also said that they had granted each factory 5,000 to 20,000 USD and had provided a total of 220,000 USD as grant to date.

A textile weaver, Mirza said: “with the help of this exhibition, people will know that such kinds of textiles are weaved domestically and shopkeepers of city will come to their factories from now on.”

Another textile weaver, Mohammad Zaman, said that demand is very high for their products and are sold at the factory. He added that he has five machines and weave 50 male shawls and 75 female shawls and those traders who used to bring textiles from Pakistan now come to us since our prices are not high than Pakistan.

It’s worth mentioning that Afghan products were sold in Jalalabad city and other nearby market under the trade mark of Pakistan before opening the exhibition. According to the public, Afghan products prove to compete with products imported from neighbor countries.