Pakistan’s granite and marble industry is drawing strong interest from China, with officials saying the country’s massive stone reserves could sustain global demand for more than a century.
Chinese buyers have remained a key destination for Pakistan’s stone exports, even as exporters grapple with higher shipment costs in the aftermath of Covid-19, according to the Pakistan Stone Development Company (PASDEC).
“Demand from China has proven remarkably resilient, giving Pakistan a rare opportunity to cement its position in one of the world’s largest stone markets,” a PASDEC official told Wealth Pakistan.
Industry insiders say Pakistan could capture a bigger slice of the market if it invested more heavily in local processing and infrastructure. Mechanized mining, which has enabled a full value chain from extraction to processing, is already helping Pakistani stone compete internationally.
Analysts note that the real breakthrough lies in value addition. “Kitchen slabs in American outlets retail for thousands of dollars. With the right finishing and technology, Pakistani granite and marble can tap similar demand not just in China, but across Western markets as well,” the official said.
Industrial clusters such as Marble City in Risalpur — home to around 80 operational units — are emerging as key hubs in this transition. New machinery for on-site crushing, cutting, and polishing has lifted production standards, bringing them closer to international benchmarks.
Officials argue that mechanized mining could help Pakistan move away from its reliance on raw stone exports, enabling the country to better leverage rising demand abroad.
Looking ahead, mechanized mining and enhanced infrastructure could reduce Pakistan’s reliance on raw stone exports, enabling the country to fully capitalize on surging global demand. With vast untapped reserves and rising Chinese interest, Pakistan’s stone sector may be on the verge of a new growth era.
Source: www.app.com.pk
