Sub-Saharan African nations have started gaining a lot of traction lately as apparel exports from this region have grown significantly over years. As a matter of fact, the 50-nation bloc exported apparel to the USA worth US $ 377.37 million in January-April 2018 period, marking a solid growth of 23.22 per cent on the yearly note and successfully capitalised on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Ethiopia, a sub-Saharan country that is making headlines due to increased FDI influx in its textile and clothing industry, has too grown from US $ 13.41 million to US $ 30.39 million with a staggering surge of 126.63 per cent during the said period.
However, the buzz seems ‘unreal’ as Ethiopia stands 5th in the tally of Sub-Saharan African countries which export apparels to its largest market, the USA. The first four apparel exporters to the USA from this part of the world are Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar and Mauritius, according to an analysis by Apparel Resources.
Notably, Kenya exported apparels worth US $ 120.67 million in the first four months of 2018 as against US $ 101.66 million in the corresponding period of prior-year. Kenya grew by 18.70 per cent in just one year which is more than just a decent growth, if not massive.
Second in the tally is Lesotho which earned US $ 98.60 million from its export of apparel to the USA, posting a noteworthy increase of 19.88 per cent on the year-on-year basis.
Markedly, Madagascar too stood far ahead of Ethiopia in apparel exports to the USA as the value of apparel shipment from Madagascar was almost double than that of Ethiopia in the review period. Apparel exports from Madagascar to the USA were US $ 59.10 million in the period with a whopping 25.73 per cent rise over last year.
4th in the tally is Mauritius which posted 10.48 per cent growth to reach US $ 48.19 million in apparel export values in Jan.-Apr. ’18 from US $ 43.62 million in the same period of 2017.
With the given facts and figures, it can safely be stated that Ethiopia has still a long way to go if it wants to uplift its apparel industry which is yet to live up to its potential. However, this is also true that Ethiopian apparel exports have had a massive growth rate (of 126.63%) in the first four months of 2018 so, notably, the sub-Saharan countries are on the way to make this battle of apparel exports an interesting one in the coming years.
