US import of denim apparels drops 7.43 per cent in the first two months of the year to $460.25 million, expanding on a 5.36 per cent year-over-year falloff in January, says the Commerce Department’s Office of Textiles & Apparel (OTEXA). As per the OTEXA report, among top 10 supplier countries, shipments from only four increased. Bangladesh emerged the leading supplier with imports increasing 5.57 per cent year to date through February compared to the same time last year for a value of $95.16 million. US’ imports from Pakistan increased 11.01 per cent to $42.96 million.

Imports from Nicaragua increased 21.26 per cent year to date to $16.79 million, while shipments from Lesotho increased by 19.04 percent to $9.23 million. Other AGOA countries posting gains in the period are: Madagascar whose exports to the US increased 34.25 percent to $7.69 million; Ethiopia’s shipments increased 66.48 per cent to $2.76 million; Kenya, up 48.91 per cent to $3.11 million, and Tanzania, jumping 94.92 per cent to $1.23 million.

Jeans imports from Mexico declined 4.9 per cent to $87.47 million while shipments from China fell by 11.66 per cent to $49.36 million. Imports from Cambodia, which had shown strength in 2020, declined 12.93 per cent year to date through February to $25.38 million, while Egypt’s shipments fell by 32.76 percent to $17.14 million.