Till 2004, apparel output of Turkey was showing continuous growth with the last year being a record.
According to the Turkish State Institute of Statistics Index of Production (1997=100), the total apparel production dropped 6.1 percent in July to 109.1. This fared better than that from the severe weakness in April and May and was the highest since January.
Notably, monthly production has been continuously falling for the past six consecutive months.
However, the European Union market being slow has limited the growth of exports in recent months.
Even apparel exports to the United States till July, one of the important secondary markets, sank 17.3 percent.
Cotton apparel fared particularly badly, which includes products like women and girl's slacks and cotton nightwear/pajamas.
Several other sectors registered double-digit falls. Turkey was fighting competition from China, India and Bangladesh in the EU market.
But, there is hope of news orders during fourth quarter this year and the first quarter of 2006 due to Chinese imports being placed under quotas in the EU, and retailers' do not want to repeat the September blockade situation, again.
marketing@alchempro.com
