Canada’s largest women’s apparel retailer Reitman’s will expand its garment order from Cambodia for the 2019-2020 period which will be worth up to $91 mn, said the Ministry of Commerce. The decision was revealed by the retailer’s global sourcing consultant Gary Ross during a meeting with Ministry of Commerce Secretary of State Ok Boung recently.
Ross expressed optimism in the progress of Cambodia’s garment industry, as the government works to strengthen the Kingdom’s competitiveness by improving the business and investment environment.
Reitman’s, Canada’s largest purchaser of Cambodian garments, has been involved in commercial operations with the industry since 2002-2003. In 2016, the company ordered apparel products from 14 factories in the Kingdom worth more than $66 mn.
Boung said bilateral trade between Cambodia and Canada has been steadily improving. Through better economic cooperation with other countries, the Kingdom’s goods exports have grown dramatically in the last two decades, from $1 bn in 2001 to $13 bn last year, said Boung. He said the government has also vowed to actively support the International Labour Organisation’s Better Factories Cambodia project to promote working conditions in the textile and apparel industry.
Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia President Van Sou Ieng said recently that Canada is one of the largest markets for Cambodia’s garment industry, after Europe, the US and Japan.
He said garment shipments from Cambodia to Canada amount to about $300-$400 mn per year.
“If this plan can be achieved, it will contribute a lot to the garment industry in Cambodia,” said Sou Ieng. He said apparel exports from Cambodia currently enjoy duty-free access to Canada. Last year, the Kingdom’s garment and footwear exports were valued at about $10 bn.
