Despite a series of setbacks over the past years, the Cambodian apparel exports have finally made some progress in the first five months of 2024, with exports up by more than 22 percent over the previous year.
The garments, footwear and travel goods sector (GFT) earned more than $5 billion in this time, accounting for almost half of the country’s total export revenue. While apparel showed the biggest increase, travel goods exports were up 18.8 percent and footwear by 10 percent for the same time-period according to data from the Customs and Excise department.
Ken Loo, secretary general, Cambodia’s Textile, Apparel, Footwear and Travel Goods sector (TAFTAC), who has been at the helm of the association since 2001 told Sourcing Journal that the sector has been able to weather a critical time that included the withdrawal of the European Union’s Everything but Arms (EBA) scheme, the pandemic and the subsequent the global slowdown. He also addressed issues about freedom of association that have been a major source of global concern.
