Japan step up to try Vietnam on for size

Le Tien Truong, deputy chairman of Vitas, said that in 2013, the United States would continue to be the biggest export market of the Vietnamese firms. Japan was predicted to usurp the EU as the second biggest garment and textile importer of the Vietnamese products.

According to Vitas, in 2013 Vietnam’s garment and textile export turnover would increase strongly with $2.4 billion, up 18.5-19 per cent year-on-year from Japan’s shipment of garment and textile products.

In which, the shipments to the Japanese market makes up some 10 per cent of Vietnam’s overall garment and textile export annually. Kid’s clothes, jacket and T-shirt will be attractive products in Japan this year.

Truong added that EU’s garment and textile import value this year had not yet seen positive signs due to economic crisis and public debt. Vitas predicted EU’s overall garment and textile import to reduce 3 per cent compared to the same period last year hit $234 billion. Accordingly, Vietnam’s garment and textile export to EU estimated to earn $2.73 billion, down 2.8 per cent year-on-year.

“Vietnam’s garment and textile export to Japan has a tendency to increase thanks to benefiting from the Vietnam-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement taking effect from early 2010,” explained Truong.

In early 2013’s January, Japan-based Marubeni Group confirmed that the group would increase the production rate in Southeast Asia including Vietnam to 30 per cent during 2013-2014 from 15 per cent.

Yoshida Takayuki, a senior expert from Marubeni Group, said that Marubeni highly appreciated Vietnam’s garment and textile industry and his group planned to move a lot of shipments from other countries to Vietnam as well as expand investment in Vietnam.

Dong Nai Garment Joint Stock Company (Donagamex) acquired export orders to the end of 2013’s third quarter, according to Vu Dinh Hai, deputy general director Donagamex.

Phan Thiet Garment Import and Export Joint Stock Company (Garmexco) also confirmed export orders for the first quarter of 2013. “Japan will continue to be important export market of Garmexco in up coming time,” said Huynh Van Nghi, general director of Garmexco.  
 
Last year, EU’s garment and textile import turnover from Vietnam went down significantly to $2.45 billion, sliding 13.5 per cent compared to 2011. Meanwhile, to Japan’s the figure surpassed $2 billion, up 20 per cent year-on-year.