Apparel industry income up by 50 percent

Ridma Dissanayake

The income from the garment industry increased by around 50 percent, Economic Development Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said.

"The income earned from the garment industry increased to USD 4.2 billion by 2011. In 2004, this was only USD 790 million," he added.

Addressing a press briefing at the Government Information Department, the deputy minister said shortage of labour has become a severe threat to the further development of Sri Lanka's garment industry.

According to the Abeywardena, the Katunayake and Biyagama export zones alone have 21,000 vacancies to be filled. The labour shortage has become a main problem in the other industrial zones as well.

He rejected rumours regarding the collapse of the garment industry.This was to give a wrong image about the country's economy.

The Minister said a number of new requests have been received to start new garment factories. He said the local garment industry has not collapsed and most of the factories in the industrial zones produce world class brands.

A majority of the employees in these factories are young women and the owners of these factories are looking forward to fill the vacancies in their factories to upgrade their contribution to the country's economy.