Poland new market for Bangladesh's knitwear

Poland new market for Bangladesh's knitwear

Poland, a central European country, is becoming a major export destination for Bangladesh's knitwear products, according to industry insiders.

The demand for the local knitwear products in the Polish market increases because those are good in quality and cheap in prices. Besides, there is a new development that the Polish, who were accustomed to buying Bangladesh knitwear through German retailers, are now keen to import those directly, a major exporter told The Daily Star.

The Polish market is being dominated by Germany, a major buyer of Bangladesh knitwear products in European Union.

Data shows Bangladesh exported knitwear products worth US$21.06 million to Poland in 2007, while the earning was $18.39 million in 2006 and $7.13 million in 2005.

These knitwear products include T-shirts, sweater and lady's polo.

An official of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) however said the amount of knitwear product exports to Poland in the current year could not be ascertained as compilation now goes on.

Meanwhile, a 3-year record shows a decline in woven exports to the central European country. In 2007, woven products worth $2.6 million were exported, while the country fetched $6 million from exports to Poland in 2006 and $3 million in 2005.

According to industry people, the country's knitwear exports to Europe were $3.9 billion in 2007, which is 75 percent of the item's total export figure.

Considering Poland as a highly potential market, the trade body for the knitwear sector has already urged the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) to send soon a high profile business mission to that country.

BKMEA President Fazlul Hoque said, “Since the response from Polish side is good the government should take it into consideration as soon as possible.”

Hoque, however, said his organisation will consider sending such a team if the state-run export promotional agency does not respond positively in this regard.

Meanwhile, knitwear, the largest export earner followed by woven garments, earned $3.913 billion during July-March period of the current fiscal, marking a 17.34 percent growth over the same period of the previous fiscal.

During this time, woven garments earned $3.770 billion, a 7.54 percent growth over the same period of the previous fiscal.

Source: By Refayet Ullah Mirdha, thedailystar.net