The export of garments, the largest foreign currency earner of the country has declined by 57 percent to the US market, the main market of Nepalese garment in October.
The export had declined by 48 percent in September. The export of Nepalese garment is continuously declining in the US market with the termination of multi-fiber arrangement (MFA) from January 1 this year, which put the quota system of exports to US out of circulation.
Nepal exported garment worth over US$ 47,242,322 in last 11 months of the current fiscal year, which was US$ 81,719,695 during the same period of last year.
However the export of Nepali apparel products to Canada during the month of November has increased by 43 percent.
According to Garment Association of Nepal (GAN), in recent months, the buyers of Nepali apparel products were diverted to Bangladesh and India due to lack of lobbying.
Officials at the GAN said if the ‘Trade Act 2000′, a bill that is pending at the US Senate is passed, it would help to boost the export of goods of Least Developed Countries (LDC) like Nepal to the American market.
Report quoted General Secretary of GAN, Uday Raj Pandey, as saying that GAN is participating in the forthcoming ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) to be held in Hong Kong where textile and apparel issues will also be the main agendas.
“The GAN will lobby for special discounts for the garment products of LDCs’ during the meeting,” he added.