The Italian textile and clothing industry is heavily export oriented, with more than 50 percent of total turnover coming from exports. The declining trend in sales shown in the table below is expected to continue at least until CY 2007 when improved economic conditions in the Italian and major export markets may improve.
The increase in textile and clothing imports can be expected to continue for the competitive reasons mentioned above.
Italian mill consumption of cotton continues to decline due to reduction in mill capacity utilization and mill closures. The vast majority of Italian cotton spinning and weaving is in the northern region of Lombardia, where 60 percent of the ring and rotor-spinning capacity, and 70 percent of the cotton-weaving capacity are located.
United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service
marketing@alchempro.com
