Camilo Rodriguez, President, Colombia’s Apparel And Related Products Chamber (CCCyA) is demanding an increase in duties on sub-valued imports from Asian countries. As per Sourcing Journal, Rodriguez believes, these goods are threatening Sri Lanka with job losses in the domestic market.

Bowing to industry pressure, Bogota recently slapped a 40 percent duty on clothing priced under $10 and a 15 percent plus $1.50 per kilogram tax for all apparel fetching over $10 when arriving at the country’s ports.

The CCCyA urged the government to expand this duty to cover clothing priced under $15 not $10. For apparel arriving at over $10 apiece, the tax should be 10 percent plus $3 per kilogram, said Rodriguez.

Colombia, a leading exporter of lingerie and beachwear products, is choking under sub-valued Asian merchandise, mainly T-shirts, pants and blouses which typically come in valued well below their production cost, Rodriguez claimed.

Last year, the country imported $2 billion of apparel products, compared with $574 million in exports. In 2019, that deficit stood at $2.4 billion for imports versus $734 million for exports. Clothing production, meanwhile, declined 21 percent to $4.13 billion as retail sales fell 21.7 percent.

Guillermo Criado, Commercial Manager, PatPrimo and a founding CCCyA member, said only 2 percent of Colombian imports fall under Bogota’s 40 percent duty, making it virtually worthless and requiring a more aggressive alternative.