Peru launches probe into excess imports hitting textile-apparel sector

Affected parties can comment on the investigation till February 24.

The commission said clothing imports between 2016 and 2020 rose by 253.8 per cent, and are still rising. In 2021 January-June, they rose by 8.9 per cent year on year (YoY). As a result, between 2016 and 2020, clothing imports grew their share of the Peru apparel market by 13.4 per cent, increasing it by another 2.9 per cent YoY in January-June 2021, according to reports from Latin America.

Government agencies blamed suppliers from China and Bangladesh as causing the most problems through by raising exports to Peru, with the objective of the safeguard duty being to give local ‘pymes’ (small-and-medium-sized enterprises) and mipymes (micro-enterprises) a fair chance to compete with clothing giants from Asia.

The Peruvian government has claimed maintaining one of the lowest tariff and non-tariff restrictions for the import of clothing worldwide during the last five years, which has eased the increasing flow of imported garments to its market.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (DS)