El Salvador: Textile Exports Up 7%

In the first half of the year sales of textiles and clothing totaled $1.247 billion, with a noteworthy annual increase of 21% in exports of textiles.

Data from the Chamber of Textiles, Clothing and Free Zones of El Salvador (Camtex) indicates that "... textile exports totaled $155 million, 21% more than in the first half of 2014, while ready-made apparel reached $1.092 million, up 5%. "

According to representatives from the sector, the annual increase of 7% in foreign sales is very positive, considering that at the end of 2014 they only managed an increase of 0.4%. Patricia Figueroa, executive director of the union, told Elmundo.sv that "... the expectation ... is to reach the levels recorded in 2013, when revenues totaled $2.394 million."

".. In the first half of the year, 12% of sales abroad were textiles, wheras previously they hardly figured at all; and 88% was ready made. 77% of sales abroad in the first half of this year went to the United States, 12% to Honduras, 4% to Guatemala and 6% to other markets. 28% of revenues, that is to say, $674 million worth, was generated by exporting cotton shirts, and 7% ($170 million) from cotton socks. "

Source: elmundo.sv