Cambodia exported $8.2417 billion in clothes between January and September of this year, a $843.4 million or 11.4 percent increase over the same period previous year, according to the general department of customs duties. The Royal Academy of Cambodia’s director of international economics, Hong Vanak, called this a “very good reflection” of government policies.
The increase occurred despite the February 20 community breakout of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns.
Ken Loo, secretary general of the Cambodian Garment Manufacturers Association, recently told a Cambodian publication that despite the epidemic, garment orders have managed to stay positive. “This year, we’ve been fortunate to receive several orders relocated from Myanmar.” We would have gotten greater if there hadn’t been a communal outbreak on February 20,” Loo lamented. Vanak believes that the increase in garment exports bodes well for the country’s economic activities at a time when other countries are dealing with severe pandemic-induced situations. Cambodia exported $9.50171 billion in textiles, including clothes, footwear, and bags, in 2020, a 10.44% decrease from $10.6 billion in 2019 by the ministry of commerce.
