2003 Textile & Apparel Export Performance

Malaysian Textile and Apparel Posted Slight Growth in 2003
Compared with export of RM 11.68 million in year 2002, textile and apparel export from Malaysia posted a slight growth of 3.22% to RM12.05 million in year 2003 after a consecutive decline for the previous 5 years since 1998. However, if compared with year 2001, the sector still registered a drop of 0.98% from RM12.17 million. 

The growth in year 2003 is mainly due to a sharp rise of 23.65% of  fibre export. Textile and clothing sector only registered 2.59% and 2.76% growth respectively.

South Korea Apparel Exports Fall 7.2%  
Apparel exports from South Korea have fallen 7.2% year-on-year to US$3.57 billion for 2003, the Korea Apparel Industry Association revealed. According to the association, the disappointing figure came as a result of to fierce competition from Chinese exporters.

Double-digit drops in garment exports to the United States (10.0% year-on-year to US$1.85bn) and Japan (19.6% year-on-year to $4.5bn).

Philippines Garment And Textile Exports Down 3.65%
Garment and textile exports from the Philippines have fallen 3.65% year-on-year for 2003 to $2.73 billion, according to Garment and Textile Exports Board data.

Manufacturers in the south-east Asian country, who posted $2.83bn in full-year exports for 2002, saw all major markets except the European Union post negative growths for the past year.

Of the total exports, quota countries contributed $2.4bn, a 3.81% slide from $2.5bn in 2002. Exports to non-quota countries, meanwhile, were down 2.39% to $323.36 million, compared to $331.26m in the prior year.

Only the EU saw an improvement, with exports to the region growing 6.34% year-on-year to $359.32m in 2003.

Pakistan Textile Sector Revenue Up 9%  
Pakistan’s textile sector has posted revenue growth of 9% for fiscal 2003, largely due to higher input prices.

Although gross margins for the sector fell to 12.6%  from 14.6 % in 2002, with operating margins down to  8% from 9.8% in the prior year, the bottom line was able to show a nominal 3% year-on-year increase thanks to a 27% decline in financial charges.

The spinning sector, meanwhile, was faced with 14% higher average cotton prices compared to the previous year, but spinning sales grew by 12% year-on-year.

  Back to Index of March 2004