Cambodia’s exports of apparel and clothing accessories (knitted) fell by nine percent during November 2022 as compared to November 2021.

However, the shipment of non-knitted apparel grew by 14 percent during the same period. From January 2022 to November 2022 Cambodia’s apparel exports increased by 16 percent year on year.

The decline in exports in the latter half of 2022 was caused by a slowdown in global demand coupled with inflationary pressures across the world. The downward trend of the second half of 2022 is expected to continue into the first semester of 2023. The sector, however, is hopeful of a rebound in global demand in the second half of this year.

Apparel exports were 40 percent of Cambodia’s total export income during January 2022 to November 2022. The country’s knitted or crocheted fabric imports during January 2022 to November 2022 were 1.5 percent higher than imports in the same period last year.

Manmade fiber imports grew by ten percent as compared to January 2021 to November 2021. But cotton imports slipped four percent during the period under review compared to the same period of 2021. Meanwhile, China was the leading source of foreign investment in Cambodia’s garments, footwear and travel goods sector, accounting for 66 percent of approved new investments in 2021.