The Sri Lanka Apparel Association hopes to secure $3.7 billion revenue from apparel exports in 2021. In 2019, Sri Lanka exported apparels worth $5.6 billion. And in 2020 the figure was around $750 million mainly earned from Personal Protection Equipment (PPE). However the association believes this segment is drying up since Chinese products are now available in the global market.

During the first COVID wave the industry recovered faster than the present second wave, said the association. Currently there are around 365,000 factories involved in the large and SME garment sector and around 28,000 in BOI zones, but there were no significant salary and job cuts. There are around 21 factories currently closed temporarily with 20,000 in them being unemployed.

The Minuwangoda Brandix Factory which first reported COVID clusters in the apparel sector is now operational with around 20 per cent staff back at work. Brandix group took and are still taking all precautionary measures and to protect employees and there are no job or pay cuts.

Many companies are planning to relocate out of the BOI and restart operations in outstations due to logistic reasons. And companies are looking at investing in own hostels to accommodate employees. In 2019, Sri Lanka imported 255,437 MT of fabric for both export-oriented apparel manufacturers and for consumption in the local market. The net export value against import value was over 52 per cent of the apparel’s $5.6 billion in exports.