Apparel sector hurt by curfew — stakeholder

AMMAN — The government’s decision to extend curfew from Saturday through Thursday and reimpose all-day lockdown on Fridays has led to a sharp drop in the economic activity of the apparel sector, with sale volumes declining by 70 per cent, according to a stakeholder.

In remarks made to The Jordan Times on Saturday, Jordan’s Textile and Readymade Clothes Syndicate President Munir Deyyeh said: “The government cannot make public health decisions without making arrangements for the economy.”

Deyyeh said that health-motivated decisions should be made in tandem with supporting measures to the economy.

The sector’s retailers are demanding prompt response from the government, to cope with the current difficult conditions, Deyyeh said,  calling on the government to “inject liquidity into the market through programmes backed by the Central Bank”.

The imposed curfew on establishments to close at 6pm “will for sure bring another wave of losses to the sector,” Deyyeh noted, stressing the importance of providing the sector with a stimulus package in order for it to stay afloat amid the pandemic.

At the current volume of sales, which is 30 per cent of the normal, businesses would not cover costs, he added.

Deyyeh brought up the recent government decision to relax customs and fees on online purchases from abroad, characterising it as “unfair”. 

The Kingdom’s apparel operators pay more than 50 per cent in taxes, therefore the fixed 10 per cent fees for goods and clothes bought online “is not logical”, he said.