Garment Industry: Impact Of COVID-19 Outbreak

Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association held a press conference concerning the impact of COVID-19 outbreak to the industry.

Since most of raw materials for garment industry are imported from China, the industry leaders expressed their concerns for production process.

It is learnt that the Chinese factories were reopened on 17th February apart from the most outbreak areas, most of the staff are still in quarantine period.

The industry leaders hope to extend their operation till Thingyan period in coming April.

CEC Member, Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association, Aung Myo Hein said “Most of our factories can able to extend their production lines till the end of February. We try to extend our operation till Thingyan period as much as we can. The worst thing is that the border trading was stopped. We used to choose border trade route for some import that cannot reach in time by water way. Some factories cannot run till March.”

At present, the factories operate five days a week with 8 working hour per day without overtime.

CEC Member, MGMA, Aung Myo Hein said “According to the information we received, the border trade will reopened on the 25th. But the problem is there will be quarantined in both sides, and may be, we can work paper process on home base through online. But for the truck drivers, they can only start their works by the middle of March if they all are clear.”

Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association has 576 members, and over 500,000 workers have been employed in this industry. In 2018, the industry earned about 4.6 billion from imports, and 75 new members registered during 2019.