The RMGEC announced that the sector’s exports increased 36 percent during the period from January to April 2021 to record $588 million, compared to $433 million during the same period last year
With a goal to maintain Egyptian ready-to-wear clothing’s exports and reputation in global markets, the Readymade Garments Export Council of Egypt (RMGEC) has been working to increase exports during the COVID-19 pandemic by reducing prices and bearing part of the losses.
The council has also been working towards affirming the ability of factories to overcome the crisis, which would provide the sector’s sustainability and maintain its volume of sales.
The RMGEC announced that the sector’s exports increased 36 percent during the period from January to April 2021 to record $588 million, compared to $433 million during the same period last year.
According to a statement, the sector’s exporters were successful in maintaining factory workforces while still encouraging the investment climate for the establishment of industrial projects.
Council Chairperson Mary Lewis highlighted the council’s aim to introduce new exporters and small designers to the export market as part of a strategy to promote the export of more Egyptian products.
This would be done through online marketing strategies, which would be within the new conditions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and global marketing trends that lean towards digital marketing.
A number of initiatives were recently launched to support the ready-made garment sector and its factories and help them with digital transformation.
This is through creating new websites and online catalogues for Egyptian ready-made clothes to serve as a guide for buyers and be used in all promotional activities.
Council Chairperson Mary Lewis and members of the council’s Board of Directors also praised the Egyptian Government’s efforts, led by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea and Amany Al-Wassal Executive Director of the Export Development Fund (EDF).
Several virtual meetings were organized between the sector’s exporters and foreign buyers from countries such as Jordan and Saudi Arabia, to discuss cooperation opportunities to export Egyptian products.
Lewis added that the future of the sector’s exports is positive, requesting that 30 percent of the value of infrastructure for shipments from July 2019 until June 2020 be disbursed in cash, in order to compensate for losses.
She also added that the RMGEC has participated in global virtual exhibitions, which included many buyers from various global markets, stressing that the council developed promotional tools for the sector’s exporters.
She also pointed out that recent meetings between the Egyptian Government and exporters have produced good future visions for the export file. This is evident in the features of the export support program expected to be issued in the coming days.
An RMGEC report, which monitored exports for the first four months of 2021, revealed that Egyptian exports to the US increased by 35 percent, whilst exports to Europe increased by 5 percent.
Garment exports to Arab countries recorded an increase of 297 percent between January and April 2021 compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, exports to African countries increased by 56 percent, and exports to the rest of the world achieved a 13 percent increase.
