Recently, Myanmar’s Deputy Minister of Commerce Wu Pengshan said that Myanmar is working hard to develop the garment industry into a pillar industry of the national economy.
According to statistics from the Myanmar Garment Industry Association, as of now, there are more than 200 garment enterprises in Myanmar, with a total of 220,000 workers working in garment factories. Myanmar’s garment exports account for 10-12% of the total textile product exports. In 2013, Myanmar’s export volume of garment products was approximately US$1.2 billion, three times the US$400 million in 2009. The Myanmar Garment Association predicts that Myanmar’s garment exports will increase to US$10 billion in the next 10 years. Currently, Myanmar’s garment products are mainly exported to Japan, South Korea, the European Union, Germany, and China. Among them, Japan has the largest export volume, accounting for 48%; followed by South Korea, accounting for 33%; and the European Union third, accounting for 14%. According to statistics, as of now, companies from 20 countries and regions including Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Germany, Japan, and South Korea have invested in Myanmar’s textile field and operate approximately 300 textile factories.
