Garment and textile exports are expected to surpass US$5 billion this year, up over 4 per cent against last year, thanks to a revamp of the quota allocation system, said the Ministry of Trade (MoT).
Despite fierce competition from neighbor and global clothing giant China, and hassles in obtaining US and EU quotas, exports last year were worth US$4.8 billion.
According to the MoT, the garment and textiles sector saw optimistic signals for its production right at the beginning of the year. Many enterprises had signed contracts for production throughout the year.
To reach the target, the sector will set up centers for fashion design and trading in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as well as trading floors for accessories and materials for the garment, textiles and footwear industries in major cities.
It also plans to expand its retail network in the country and abroad. The sector will also select between 10-20 products for national trade promotion and buy copyrights or join other foreign producers to turn out products for the domestic and overseas markets as well.
At a seminar on adjusting the garment and textile industry development plan until 2010, a vision to 2020, many participants suggested that the garment industry should set the target to gain export revenues of US$9-10 billion a year in stead of US$8 billion as planned.
All of them said that the weakest point of the industry is poor design and material and accessories supply capability which leads to weak competitiveness. Besides, its low labor productivity results in low incomes so it is not attractive to laborers
They suggested that the industry should attach special importance to potential markets such as Eastern Europe and China in addition to traditional markets like the US, Japan and the EU. Especially, the sector must build a program to promote Vietnamese trademarks in oversea markets.
According to the chairman of the Management Board of the country’s leading State-run garment producer Vinatex, Le Quoc An, the garment sector will be developed under nine action programs including setting up centralized materials and accessories centers, training business circle, adjusting production in the sector, increase the production of cloth, diversifying products, applying IT and e-commerce in production, developing the retail system along with trademarks, foreign investment promotion and restructuring the sector.
Young People, VNA
Vietnamese
