Apparel exports from Bangladesh to the United States have declined significantly. This is closely linked to factory safety issues. Exports from Bangladesh, ranked number three in apparel exports to the US, have dropped by more than 10 per cent.
Though February is historically the slowest month for apparel imports into the US, the decline from Bangladesh is significant. Bangladesh has marked the second month in a row in which the country’s growth has slowed. Last year November was the first time shipments fell since factory safety issues came to the fore with the collapse of the Rana Plaza in April.
The biggest decline in exports to the US was from China, 12 per cent. However, exports from Vietnam, the fastest growing exporter to the US, continued to rise for diversified supply chains. US imports from Bangladesh totaled $5.4 billion dollars in 2013, a 9 per cent increase from 2012, and up 158 per cent from 2003. The five largest import categories in 2013 were: woven apparel, knit apparel, miscellaneous textile products, headgear and fish and seafood.
