SL’s garment export sector seen as coming out of crisis by September

By Hiran H.Senewiratne

The Sri Lankan garment export sector will come out of the present crisis by September/ October because we are catering to top- end niche markets in the world, Director, Garment Industry Management Institute (GIMI) Gihan Talgodapitiya said.

‘At present Sri Lanka has carved a niche in the export garment sector, which is going through a setback, which is negligible compared to those of other major exporters, like China and Bangladesh, Talgodapitiya told The Island Financial Review.

Talgodapitiya added: ‘China, the top most clothing exporter in the world with an output of US $ 158 billion has now dropped to US $ 149 billion , while Bangladesh’s total clothing exports come to about US $ 149 billion. It has now dropped to US $ 28 billion. However, Sri Lanka’s total garment exports worth US $ 5.5 billion have only dropped to US $ 5.3 billion, which is a negligible amount, compared to other major exporting countries.

‘Since we are creating a niche market, no African country could come up to our standards for the next 20 years. Therefore, Sri Lanka is in a better footing in the garment manufacturing sector, which acquired its technology and skill over a period of time.

“Even Bangladesh took more than 30 years to develop the garment sector to its current level.’

GIMI Director Bharatha Egalahewa said that their institution is one of few institutions that has trained and produced executives to middle manager (skilled staff) level for the garment industry but these personnel are leaving the country for greener pastures.

Egalahewa said most apparel exporting countries prefer to recruit Sri Lankan skilled personnel due to their knowledge of English and their high grasp of the subject.

” We are in the business of providing skills and training for garment industry related employment for the last 33 years and have produce more than 20000 qualified personnel out of whom more than half have left the country for higher wages/ salaries, Egalahewa added.