Stakeholders of the Fiji's garment industry are now looking ahead to the Australian authorities' response regarding extension of the garment trade agreement between Fiji and Australia, which is nearing expiration.
The SPARTECA TCF agreement, which allows the Forum island countries like Fiji to export textiles, footwear and clothing items to Australia duty-free, was last extended in 2009 for two years, and is due for expiry on December 31, 2011.
Australia in 2009, allowed a reduction in the Minimum Local Area Content to Fiji's Textile and Clothing industry from 35 to 25 percent, and thereby raised the number and the varieties of garments eligible to enjoy the benefit of duty-free exports to Australia.
Owing to the varying export needs, the garment industry of Fiji, which employs around 4,000 workers, majority of them women, is experiencing a downturn over the last few years.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
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