Clothing sector says enough stock in place to cover upcoming quarter’s demand

AMMAN — There are enough clothes in stock to cover the demand of the Kingdom’s market for around three months, covering the fasting month of Ramadan and Eid Al Fitr holidays, representatives of the clothing sector told The Jordan Times on Sunday. 

Textile and Readymade Clothes Syndicate President Muneer Deyeh said that clothing and footwear are available in “enough quantities” for the summer, and traders and importers are “on alert” to secure additional supply as needed. 

Turkey, the European Union, Southeast Asia and several Arab countries, including Egypt and Syria are alternative import markets, in light of the global spread of COVID-19, Deyeh highlighted. 

For his part, Asaad Qawasmi, a representative of the clothing, garment and jewellery sector at the Jordan Chamber of Commerce, stressed that preparations were made before the outbreak of the virus, noting that wares were imported last year. 

“In China, 40 per cent of markets have reopened and are exporting their goods as usual, and the fear of clothing originating from China is unwarranted,” Qawasmi said, noting that all clothing and footwear are transported via ship over a period of 27 days.

“The sector’s retailers saw a shocking drop in revenues during 2020’s first 45 days, with sales falling by 70 per cent compared with the same period in 2019,” Deyeh told The Jordan Times in mid-February. 

At many stores, particularly smaller shops, sales performance “hit an all-time low” of JD50 per day, Deyeh said.

He added that taxes and customs on clothing, in addition to power costs, sales taxes and rental costs must be reduced, stressing the sector’s “vital” role in the economy as an employer of more than 52,000 workers.