A BGMEA survey revealed only 35 per cent of production capacity of Bangladeshi apparel manufacturers has been booked for the consolidated period of July-December this year. Moreover, prices of apparel goods booked by global retailers over the same period have fallen on an average 14 per cent due to shortages of work orders.

The survey examined responses of over 100 manufactures to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on work orders for the second half of 2020. Manufacturers confirmed work orders for 127.50 million pieces in the July-December period of 2020, while 365.78 million pieces can be produced at full capacity. December is the worst month in the second half of the year, with only 17 per cent of total production capacity having been booked, while in July, 56 per cent of the total production capacity has been booked.

The biggest decline in prices has been for men’s undergarments followed by babies’ garments with a 35 per cent fall. Only the price of knit bottoms rose this year, by 6 per cent.