Share this story!            

Import of secondhand clothes rose by 15% in 10 months

By Razi Syed

KARACHI: The import of secondhand clothes from Europe, the US, Japan, South Korea and Australia has registered an increase of around 15 percent to Rs 3.17 billion in 10 months of 2005 when compared with the import of clothes worth around Rs 2.37 billion in 2004.

The volume of imports has also increased by around 25 percent due to exemption in sales tax and income tax this year. The use of secondhand clothes by people from lower and lower-middle class has gone up by 35 percent to Rs 475 million in all the four provinces during this period due to inflation and rise in stitching charges.

The prices of all kinds of secondhand clothing, draperies, blankets, sundries and shoes in Lunda Bazaars have registered an increase of around 10 percent. Winter and the supply of warm clothes to earthquake victims have also contributed to the increase in demand for secondhand clothings, especially blankets and pullovers.

The import of secondhand shirts, trousers, sweaters and pullovers, etc was made from the USA, Japan, the UK and other European states. Blankets, carpets, rugs, shoes, overcoats, jackets and stuffed toys were imported from South Korea, Japan and China.

According to a survey, the prices of Chinese and Korean shoes for all ages and locally-made shoes range between Rs 250 and Rs 500 a pair, blanket (Korean) is available for Rs 300 to Rs 1,150, trousers (cotton/acrylic) was at Rs 150 to Rs 250, shirt (cotton and mixed) at Rs 80 to Rs 150, T-Shirt at Rs 50 to Rs 80, Jacket (leather) Rs 500 to Rs 1,000, jacket (Rexene made fur inside) Rs 400 to Rs 800, bags new and secondhand from Korea and China Rs 200 to Rs 500, carpet and rug 10 feet x 8 feet from Korea are Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000, tapestry locally tailored with imported fabric 7 feet x 4 feet at Rs 150 to Rs 200 ( Jaggard, polyester, Shangri-La and mixed cotton made) tapestry Korean and Chinese Rs 300 to Rs 600. Moreover, secondhand tapestry from foreign missions is being sold at Rs 1,000 to Rs 1800.

The price of all types of leather and artificial leather bag is Rs 200 to Rs 550, carpet/rug from Korea of different sizes are being sold at Rs 250 to Rs 800.

Muhammad Usman Farooqui, secretary general of the Pakistan Secondhand Clothing Merchants Association (PSCMA), said around 50 percent warm clothing, including blankets, shawls and overcoats, were consumed in the NWFP and northern tribal areas and Punjab consumed some 35 percent of the total imported stuff.

He said Quetta came third in the consumption of warm clothing and Karachi was the main consumer of US and Canadian trousers, shirts, T-shirts, Korean and Chinese draperies, shoes besides all other imports.

“We import some 60 percent secondhand stuff from the USA, Canada, Australia and other European countries and the remaining 40 percent imports are made from South Korea (18 percent) Japan (10 percent) and the rest from and other countries,” Mr Farooqui said.

He said dealers of major cities in the cold zones lifted the stuff, including warm clothing, during July to December every year, which came to 45 percent of the total imports.

Due to high exchange rates and entry of Indian importers into the European and other markets, we are facing high import price. Indians offer better rates.

Muhammad Irfan of S M Raza and Company and a senior member of the PSCMA, said: “The increase in imports is due to the withdrawal of 15 percent sales tax and the reduction of income tax rate from six to one percent.”

He said the importers have to pay Import Tax Price (ITP-Custom Tax) of 17 penny a kg on imports from the UK. We have to pay 0.26 euro a kg and 12 cents on one pound on imports from the USA and Canada, respectively. “However, now we pay 10 percent import duty instead of five percent last year’,” he added.

Talha Sultan, an importer of shirts, trousers and pullovers, etc, from the UK and Japan, said: “In 10 months of 2005, we have imported 25 percent more shirts and allied items than last year due to relaxation in taxes and increase in demand.”

He said 70 percent of the stuff was imported from the USA, the UK, other European countries and the rest from Japan, China and South Korea.

He said inflation had made even secondhand clothes unaffordable for the poor.

Muhammad Asif, a shopkeeper at Lunda Bazaar on M A Jinnah Road, said during winter cut-price sales attracted buyers.

Another shopkeeper said his shop offered a suit at Rs 1,200- Rs 1,600, a coat at Rs 400 to Rs 800, and a pair of trousers and a shirt at Rs 350 and Rs 250, respectively.

A shopkeeper said lately there had been a five percent increase in prices at the market.

A carpet and blanket seller said South Korean and Chinese blankets had flooded the market. “Housewives prefer to change carpets frequently and also buy blankets, especially for young children, as cotton quilt are expensive than our imported children’s blankets,” he added.

Retailers charged according to the approach and appearance of the customers. Brand new imported blanket was available for around Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000. “Half the stuff comes via Dubai,” he said.

A shopkeeper said NGOs also were buying secondhand blankets and carpets in bulk for earthquake victims.

He said the sale of blankets rose by around 40 percent this season as people donated their old blankets for earthquake affectees, so prices had gone up by 10 percent.

This reporter saw women buying blankets and youngsters trousers and shirts.

Home | Business

Share this story!