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| Sunday, 12 May 2002 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Low
price, quality products will win in quota-free regime
by JAYAMPATHY JAYASINGHE The price war and other factors in the global textile trade is going to adversely affect textile producing countries in future, according to forecasts made by the Textile Institute in Sri Lanka. Textile Institute Chairman R.U. Kuruppu, addressing a recent seminar in Colombo, said future global trading was bleak due to the rapid changes taking place and that many countries were already negotiating for a quota-free textile regime. The seminar was organised by the Textile Institute of Sri Lanka together with Apparel Technologies (Pvt) Ltd. and Bobbin (Pvt) Ltd. Sri Lanka, Turkey, India and Pakistan have already initiated negotiations with USA for favourable trade terms in respect of textile quotas whereas African countries and Vietnam have free quotas to the USA. Sri Lanka has free quotas only to Europe. Future buyers will look into human ethics, good working conditions, minimum wages and the quality of the product, Mr. Kuruppu said. Meanwhile, forecasts show that future buyers will have a limited market to source their supplies and this in turn was going to affect many countries. The clothing imports by USA show that 50 per cent of the Indonesian exports account for 3.3 per cent of US imports, 26 per cent of Chinese exports was 13.3 per cent of US imports, 37 per cent of Indian exports was three per cent of US imports, 90 per cent of Mexican exports was 13.5 per cent of US imports and 60 per cent of Sri Lankan exports was 2.3 per cent of US imports. Mr. Kuruppu said low prices and quality products were essential to become successful manufacturers and suppliers of clothing. Harry Vorbhalt, Technical Consultant Groz Becker KG, Germany said he was impressed with the sophisticated sewing plants used for production of textiles in Sri Lanka. However, inferior quality needles used in such machinery reduces the capacity of machines and frequent breakdowns have resulted in loss of production. He said Groz Becker, a company producing quality sewing needles will be celebrating its 150th anniversary next month. The company employs around 8000 persons. Apparel Technologies (Pvt) Ltd., affiliated to the Textile Institute of UK, was set up in Sri Lanka in 1972 to find technological solutions to the clothing industry. The institute has a membership of 200 professionals in Sri Lanka. |
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