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Viewing cable 06DHAKA6328, TEXTILE AND APPAREL STATISTICS AND COMPETITIVENESS

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06DHAKA6328 2006-10-18 08:29 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Dhaka
VZCZCXRO2522
RR RUEHCI
DE RUEHKA #6328/01 2910829
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 180829Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2208
INFO RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 7615
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 8764
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1325
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 9414
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 1596
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 006328 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD ECON KTEX BG
SUBJECT: TEXTILE AND APPAREL STATISTICS AND COMPETITIVENESS 
PROJECTION 
 
REF: STATE 138090 
 
1.  Summary:  The Bangladesh textile and ready-made garment 
(RMG) industry has thrived following the end of quotas under 
the multi-fiber arrangement.  Although the industry benefits 
from U.S. and EU restrictions on Chinese goods, other factors 
including low labor costs, strong relations with major 
European and US buyers and a reputation for better than 
average social compliance have been more significant.  The 
industry continues to invest to remain competitive; however, 
external factors, especially inadequate power, an 
underdeveloped natural gas distribution network, an 
inefficient port and systemic corruption continue to plague 
the industry and will affect its competitiveness in the 
medium term.  End summary. 
 
Requested Data 
-------------- 
 
2.  Post is pleased to provide the data requested in 
paragraph 3 of reftel, together with information on the 
sources and reliability of the data.  All data is based on 
the Bangladesh fiscal year, which runs from July 1 through 
June 30. 
 
A) Total Industrial production in FY 2005 was USD 9.6 billion 
and in FY 2006 was USD 10.3 billion. 
 
B) Total textile production in FY 2005 was 3.0 billion meters 
and in FY 2006 3.5 billion meters (no data is available based 
on price).  Total apparel production was USD 7.1 billion in 
FY 2005 and USD 8.7 billion in FY 2006 (both estimated). 
 
C) Textile share could not be compared with the import and 
export figures.  Apparel production was 52% of total import 
and 82% of total export in FY 2005 and 51% of total import 
and 83% of the total export in FY 2006. 
 
D) Total manufacturing employment was 5.5 million in FY 2005 
and 6.0 million in FY 2006 (estimated). 
 
E) Total textile employment is 500,000 and total apparel 
employment is 3.0 million (estimated). 
 
3.  Data sourcing and reliability: Post collected information 
from the three major industry associations -- Bangladesh 
Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Bangladesh Garments 
Manufactures and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the 
Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association 
(BKMEA) -- and from the Ministry of Finance, which includes 
the customs service.  Finding current and accurate data is 
difficult in Bangladesh because of the unavailability of 
timely official data, lack of coordination between different 
agencies, lack of trained workforce in this area, and the 
long processing time to organize the collect data.  The 
information provided is believed to be the best information 
available. 
 
Additional Information 
---------------------- 
 
4.  Bangladeshi RMG manufacturers are under continuing 
pressure from buyers to reduce prices.  The sizable increase 
in both the volume and value of exports results from a 
significant increase in the volume of exports, despite 
decreasing price margins.  Order volume is higher than in 
previous years.  There is significant new investment by both 
foreign and domestic companies in new manufacturing capacity. 
 Some sources estimates one new factory or expansion 
employing 500 or more workers is added by the industry each 
week.  According to anecdotal evidence, however, Bangladesh's 
chronic infrastructure and governance problems have prompted 
some investors to locate new factories in other countries. 
 
5.  Bangladesh has clearly benefited from US and EU 
restrictions on certain Chinese apparel exports and many in 
the industry worry that the removal of those restrictions in 
2008 will negatively impact the RMG sector.  Other factors, 
including low labor costs, a relatively skilled labor force, 
continued investment to improve productivity and a positive 
reputation for social compliance have been more significant. 
The government has not imposed nor considered imposing quotas 
or other restrictions on Chinese textile and apparel 
products.  High tariffs and taxes protect the domestic 
 
DHAKA 00006328  002 OF 002 
 
 
textile industry from international competition and raise 
costs for domestic textile users, including RMG exporters; 
however, these barriers are not specifically targeted at 
Chinese textile products. 
 
6.  Bangladesh already has some of the lowest labor costs in 
the global textile and apparel industry.  Bangladesh's 
success in the global market, coupled with rising domestic 
prices for staples, has created pressure for increased wages. 
 Wage demands erupted in two-days of civil unrest in May.  In 
response, the government and industry formed a wage board to 
review wages.  Although the wage board recommended a 73% 
increase in the base minimum wage and increases in the 
minimum wage for higher skill levels, labor groups, which had 
sought a 200% increase, were disappointed and continue to 
agitate for higher wages. 
 
7.  Chronic problems of infrastructure and governance 
continue to bedevil the industry (and economic growth 
generally) and threaten the industry's competitiveness in the 
medium term.  Electricity demand is growing at 8% annually, 
yet there has been a net loss in generating capacity over the 
past five years due to lack of new plants and deterioration 
of the installed base.  Operational capacity is estimated at 
50%-60% of current demand and rolling blackouts are common. 
Although manufacturers often have captive power generators or 
standby diesel generators, high fuel costs and unreliable 
natural gas supplies increase costs and undermine 
productivity.  Power is expected to be an important issue for 
elections scheduled for January 2007. 
 
8.  Bangladesh's knitwear industry, in particular, benefits 
significantly from EU GSP tariff preferences and, to a lesser 
degree, from duty free access to the Canadian market. 
Bangladesh does not enjoy similar tariff preferences in the 
U.S.; nonetheless, exports to the U.S. of both woven and 
knitwear products have risen by more than 20%, reflecting 
Bangladesh's many competitive advantages, especially in low 
value, high volume products.  The BDG and industry continue 
to press for duty free access under the proposed Trade Act of 
2005.  Addressing competitiveness issues in Bangladesh, 
however, would have a more significant impact on the 
industry's global competitiveness over the medium term. 
PASI