Kathmandu, November 4:

Readymade garments’ export has plummetted by 31 per cent to $0.99 million in October. Similarly, the readymade garment exports stood at $22.92 million in the first 10 months of this year, whereas it was $42.41 million in the same period last year, according to Garment Association Nepal (GAN).

“The export has been declining continuously for last two years,” entrepreneurs said attributed the decline to fast losing orders over the period. “Nepali readymade garment industry has been going through hard times since 2002,” they said.

The closure of manufacturing units due to internal problems like regular labour disputes and Tarai unrest have also been blamed for the plunge in exports.

In 2002, there were more than four-dozen manufacturing industries, which are now reduced to only one-and-a-half. The number of workers employed in the industry has also drastically dropped to about a thousand.

Export to the US, a major market for Nepali garment products, has also decreased by a whopping 46 per cent in the first 10 months of 2007, in comparison to the same period last year. GAN officials blamed the government for not keeping its commitments and creating a favourable industrial environment.

Nepali readymade garment industry has been going through hard times since 2002. In 2002, there were more than four-dozen manufacturing industries, which are now reduced to only one-and-a-half. The number of workers employed in the industry has also drastically dropped to about a thousand.