South Asian island countries saw higher imports of fabrics in 2022. Inbound shipments by Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia were better than the previous year. Indonesia and Thailand imported more fabrics than in the previous year, with increases of over 10 percent. Sri Lanka’s imports of fabrics also slightly increased in the same period.
Indonesia’s fabric imports increased to $4.769 bn in 2022, which was 10.34 percent higher than the import value of $4.322 bn in 2021. The country had imported fabrics worth $3.159 bn in 2020, $4.320 bn in 2019, $4.472 bn in 2018, and $4.085 bn in 2017, according to market report.
Sri Lanka’s inbound fabric shipment slightly improved to $2.292 bn in 2022 from $2.226 bn in 2021. The country faced economic and political unrest in the first half of 2022, which disrupted economic activities. Despite this, the value of fabric imports increased by 1.28 percent in the last year. Sri Lanka’s fabric imports stood at $1.758 bn in 2020, $2.239 bn in 2019, $2.212 bn in 2018, and $2.136 bn in 2017.
Thailand’s fabric imports increased by 13.37 percent to reach $1.390 bn in 2022, compared to $1.226 bn in 2021, $1.079 bn in 2020, $1.328 bn in 2019, $1.282 bn in 2018, and $1.146 bn in 2017. As for Malaysia, its fabric imports were $405.565 mn in the first eleven months of 2022, which was close to the imports of $416.470 mn in 2021. The country had imported fabrics worth $454.332 mn in 2020, $554.720 mn in 2019, $654.137 mn in 2018, and $690.330 mn in 2017, as per market report.
