Higher growth in EPZs expected
Wednesday, 30 June 2010
Jasim Uddin Haroon
The country's export processing zones are expecting a buoyant growth this year despite negative performances by the industrial units during the first few months of the fiscal year.
Officials said export earnings from the country's eight export processing zones stood at more than US$ 2533 million in the first 11 months of the fiscal year.
The export earnings from the EPZs during 2008-09 fiscal was $ 2581 million.
One senior official at promotion and investment department said: "Our estimate shows that we will earn at least $250 million more in June and this will lead to a double digit growth for the EPZs this year."
Officials working at leading enterprises said that the export earnings had grown over the past few months mainly because of higher prices of garment and its allied products in the international market.
Ashraful Hassan, managing director of Grameen Knitwear at Dhaka EPZ told the FE: "Our volume of RMG products has decreased but the prices increased sharply over the first three or four months."
Mr Ashraf also said the queries from the buyers have also increased in recent months indicating a better days ahead for the factories in the EPZs.
Bangladesh's EPZs are mainly engaged in manufacturing garment, textiles, agro-based, electronics and leather goods.
SM Abdur Rashid, general manager of Chittagong EPZ, said that the target set for the country's first EPZ will exceed this year.
The target for the EPZ was set at $1250 million for 2009-10 fiscal year.
"Our earning during the first eleven months is $1188.36 million, so we expect that we will exceed the target this year."
However, a senior official working at the Dhaka EPZ told the FE: "We will achieve target despite gas crisis."
Officials at the BEPZA (Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority) said that investment at the EPZs also increased over the past 11 months.
Entrepreneurs, mainly foreign companies, had invested a total of $196.46 million in the first eleven months. The investment scenario was $148.03 million during the 12 months of 2008-09 fiscal year.
However, Dhaka EPZ earned $1102.96 million during the eleven months ending May. Mongla EPZ earned $6.78 million, Comilla EPZ $84.31 million, Uttara EPZ $1.84 million, Ishwardi EPZ $6.29 million, Adamjee EPZ $93.80 million and Karnaphuli EPZ $49.40 million.
The country's export processing zones are expecting a buoyant growth this year despite negative performances by the industrial units during the first few months of the fiscal year.
Officials said export earnings from the country's eight export processing zones stood at more than US$ 2533 million in the first 11 months of the fiscal year.
The export earnings from the EPZs during 2008-09 fiscal was $ 2581 million.
One senior official at promotion and investment department said: "Our estimate shows that we will earn at least $250 million more in June and this will lead to a double digit growth for the EPZs this year."
Officials working at leading enterprises said that the export earnings had grown over the past few months mainly because of higher prices of garment and its allied products in the international market.
Ashraful Hassan, managing director of Grameen Knitwear at Dhaka EPZ told the FE: "Our volume of RMG products has decreased but the prices increased sharply over the first three or four months."
Mr Ashraf also said the queries from the buyers have also increased in recent months indicating a better days ahead for the factories in the EPZs.
Bangladesh's EPZs are mainly engaged in manufacturing garment, textiles, agro-based, electronics and leather goods.
SM Abdur Rashid, general manager of Chittagong EPZ, said that the target set for the country's first EPZ will exceed this year.
The target for the EPZ was set at $1250 million for 2009-10 fiscal year.
"Our earning during the first eleven months is $1188.36 million, so we expect that we will exceed the target this year."
However, a senior official working at the Dhaka EPZ told the FE: "We will achieve target despite gas crisis."
Officials at the BEPZA (Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority) said that investment at the EPZs also increased over the past 11 months.
Entrepreneurs, mainly foreign companies, had invested a total of $196.46 million in the first eleven months. The investment scenario was $148.03 million during the 12 months of 2008-09 fiscal year.
However, Dhaka EPZ earned $1102.96 million during the eleven months ending May. Mongla EPZ earned $6.78 million, Comilla EPZ $84.31 million, Uttara EPZ $1.84 million, Ishwardi EPZ $6.29 million, Adamjee EPZ $93.80 million and Karnaphuli EPZ $49.40 million.