Cambodia exported clothes worth $2.066 billion in the first quarter of this year. Compared to the previous year, most regions recorded a decrease in trade. During this time, Cambodian garment exports fell significantly in the biggest markets, Europe and North America.
From January through March 2023, Cambodia’s garment exports to Europe totalled $733.268 million, accounting for 35.49 per cent of overall shipments. During the same year, the percentage of exports to North America was 32.16 per cent, with shipments valued at $664.494 million. Outbound shipments to the Asia-Pacific area were valued at $570.343 million, accounting for 27.60% of total exports.
According to Fibre2Fashion’s market research tool TexPro, these three markets accounted for more than 94% of total shipments—Cambodian clothing is sold throughout the Middle East, Central and South America, and Africa.
Cambodia’s shipments to Europe fell by 36.62 per cent in the first quarter of this year, compared to $1.156 billion in January-March 2022. Exports totalled $913.455 million in the first quarter of 2021. Shipments to North America, including the United States, fell by 51.35 per cent in the first quarter of the current year to $664.494 million. According to TexPro, trade was worth $1.365 billion in Q1 2022 and $1.101 billion in Q1 2021.
The Asia-Pacific area saw the mildest fall among Cambodia’s three biggest markets for garment exports. Shipments fell 6.32 per cent in the first quarter of this year, to $570.343 million, from $608.816 million in Q1 2022 and $601.196 million in Q1 2021.
Cambodia’s total garment exports reached $14.025 billion in 2022, exceeding $11.098 billion in 2021.
