Bangladesh apparel accessories' exports to treble by 2018

16 Jan '13

2 min read

Apparel accessories and packaging items industry of Bangladesh, which exported US$ 3.75 billion worth of items during last fiscal, is now looking at trebling its exports over the next five years.

Speaking at inaugural ceremony of GAPEXPO-2013, a four-day exhibition on garments accessories, packaging and related-machinery, Rafez Alam Chowdhury, President of Bangladesh Garment Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA), said the sector which serves as a backward linkage for the country’s readymade garment industry intends to attain a US$ 12 billion mark in exports by 2018.

Bangladesh’s apparel accessories and packaging industry produces around 35 items like cartons, elastic, embroidery materials, buttons, packaging materials, interlinings, padding materials, labels, drawstrings, padding materials, sewing threads, poly bags, plastic items, neck-boards, zippers, barcodes, backboards and gum tapes.

Till almost 10 years back, Bangladesh garment sector relied on imported packaging materials and accessories, but now the domestic producers are not only supplying to industries at home, but are also exporting, Mr. Chowdhury said.

He said the Government’s policy support initiatives like facilitating credit availability, low rates of interest and setting up a separate institute for the sector can play a major part in expediting the sector’s growth.

Around 1,200 members of BGAPMEA are participating in the GAPEXPO being held in conjunction with the Yarn and Fabrics Showcasing Fair and the Garmentech, an exhibition of garment and allied machineries, he said.

Besides Bangladesh, companies from other countries like India, Pakistan, China, Australia, UAE, Japan, Thailand and Germany are also taking part in the fairs, he added.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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