Undervaluation affects Peruvian textile sector: COMEXPERU

06 Nov '13

2 min read

The Peruvian textile and garment sector is not facing a problem due to the import of Chinese textiles and clothing but is affected by undervaluation of goods and illegal imports, according to the Foreign Trade Society of Peru (COMEXPERU).

In the latest edition of COMEXPERU weekly, the Peruvian guild for foreign trade attributes the unfair competition faced by domestic textiles to the undervaluation of goods entering the country.

According to the Peruvian National Institute for the Defense of Competition and Intellectual Property Protection (INDECOPI) investigation, the import of Chinese clothing at alleged lower prices had increased significantly in the Peruvian market and was adversely affecting the domestic manufacturers.

However, COMEXPERU is of the view that unfair competition is not because of imports of Chinese clothing but because of textile goods coming through customs without declaring their real value and increase of illegal imports.

The foreign trade guild states that according to figures released by National Superintendent of Customs and Tax Administration of Peru (SUNAT), between 2009 and 2011, undervaluation in customs had increased by 36 percent in the country. The imported textile and apparel goods entered the country declared at a lower price than their real value in order to evade taxes.

Hence, COMEXPERU believes the research by INDECOPI which was initiated in 2012, merely indicated the damage done by imports of Chinese clothing at alleged lower prices and failed to demonstrate the actual problems faced by the Peruvian textile and clothing sector.

The foreign trade guild has suggested that imposing anti-dumping measures is not the answer to the problems faced by the Peruvian textiles sector and the authorities should work on other areas involving trade policies to overcome these issues.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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