CAMBODIA'S GARMENT INDUSTRY GROWING, BUT WILL IT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PHNOM PENH 001893 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/MLS AND EB/TPP/ABT--TOM LERSTEN STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR FOR ABIOLA HEYLIGER AND DAVID BISBEE COMMERCE FOR ITA/OTEXA--MARIA D'ANDREA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD KTEX CB SUBJECT: CAMBODIA'S GARMENT INDUSTRY GROWING, BUT WILL IT LAST? REF: A. STATE 138090 ¶B. PHNOM PENH 1693 AND PREVIOUS ¶1. (SBU) Summary. Cambodia's garment industry grew impressively since the Multifiber Agreement (MFA) ended, expanding by 13% in 2005 and 21% in the first eight months of ¶2006. While this increase has translated into a growing number of factories and workers, neither factory owners nor workers have truly reaped the benefits of this growth as dramatically lower prices for Cambodian garments hurt factory profits and contributed to declining wages and increasing labor unrest. Cambodian government and private industry have made some efforts to improve the country's competitiveness. There is no consensus on how Cambodia will fare once US and EU safeguards expire in 2008, but there is broad agreement that unstable labor relations, not the 2008 deadline, are the biggest threat to the industry. End Summary. Garment Industry Growing, Productivity Up, but Profits Down -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) Cambodia's garment industry has stunned naysayers by growing rapidly since the end of the Multifiber Agreement in January 2005. The value of Cambodia's garment exports grew by 13% in 2005 and 21% in the first eight months of 2006. Ken Loo of the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia (GMAC) reported that while some small and medium-sized factories (i.e., up to 1,500 employees) have closed, there has been a net gain of 15 factories in the past year. ¶3. (U) Garment industry experts are surprised by the magnitude of Cambodia's success and are only able to offer pieces of a more comprehensive explanation. Safeguards against China played a large role, as factory owners report that orders were largely flat in early 2005 and only took off once US and EU safeguards were imposed. Proponents of Cambodia's unique factory monitoring organization (Better Factories Cambodia) point to that program, Cambodia's strong reputation for worker rights, and the commitment of major buyers--like the Gap--to supporting Cambodia's labor rights experiment as impetus for the increase. During a USAID-funded conference on the post-MFA garment sector, garment industry expert David Birnbaum noted that while Chinese garment factories were now raising their low prices, Cambodian prices remain 15% below world market average, spurring growth. (Comment: However, Cambodian garments are subject to an average 18% US tariff, while many other countries have tariff-free access via CAFTA, AGOA, and other agreements. End Comment.) Ken Loo of the Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia (GMAC) notes that existing buyers are placing larger orders with Cambodian factories and a few new buyers have begun to source from Cambodia. ¶4. (U) In contrast to this apparent success, declining prices for garments have left Cambodia's garment factories operating on declining profit margins despite rising productivity. Dr. Sok Hach, director of the Economic Institute of Cambodia (EIC),reported that the price of Cambodian garments declined by 20% from January to December ¶2005. Since January 2006, prices have increased slightly in the US market but are still decreasing in the EU market. However, garment factory productivity rose 50% from 2001 to ¶2006. Garment factory profit margins, which were 10-11% net in 2003 and 2004, have now fallen to 5-6%. Ken Loo painted a starker picture, claiming that factories were making only 2-3% profit. Wages Down, Labor Disputes Up -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The working conditions and labor freedom for Cambodia's 336,000 garment factory workers have worsened slightly, and labor relations have deteriorated significantly. Increased global competition is one of several factors responsible, along with a resurgence of activism after months of political and economic uncertainty, frustration with the arbitration process, less effort expended in negotiations, and increased activity among rogue unions. Workers and garment buyers report increased tensions in the workplace and unions say that anti-union harassment and discrimination have been on the rise for the past year. There was a dramatic increase in garment sector strikes from February to June 2006, with working days lost per month reaching four times typical levels in May 2006. In August PHNOM PENH 00001893 002 OF 003 2006, three factory-level union leaders were found guilty of highly suspect charges of human confinement, the first time Cambodian labor leaders have been convicted of felonies. ¶6. (SBU) According to the Cambodian Institute for Development Studies, real wages of garment factory workers have been falling for three years: 3.1% decline from 2003 to 2004, 8.7% decline from 2004 to 2005, and a further 0.3% decline through February 2006. Garment sector unions and GMAC are currently negotiating a minimum wage increase. While the two sides are still far from an agreement, it seems likely that the minimum wage will rise from the current USD 45 per month to USD 50 to 55 per month over a period of three years. Competitiveness Efforts -------------- ¶7. (SBU) In the past several years, the Cambodian government (RGC) has taken some steps to improve the competitiveness of the garment industry, most notably by reducing non-official payments in the import/export process as part of a World Bank-sponsored trade facilitation program. According to a 2005 report by the firm Emerging Markets Consulting, the average informal costs for importing one container of goods fell from $2,477 in 2003 to $673 in 2005, while export costs dropped from $942 to $598. ¶8. (SBU) However, economists and garment industry experts report that corruption costs have largely remained flat since 2005, and may even be starting to creep up again. Trade facilitation reduced corruption by reducing the number of people with an opportunity to seek a bribe, but those individuals still able to elicit bribes are now asking for more money per transaction, according to Jane O'Dell (please protect),Chief of Party of USAID's Garment Industry Productivity Center. Informal costs now account for about 4% of production costs, (equal to about 2/3 of net factory profits) according to a forthcoming EIC report. ¶9. (U) Some individual garment factories have also made an effort to become more competitive. Loo reports that some factories have set up new departments or found new sub-contractors to do intricate, profitable work involving bead or lace trim or embroidery. Factories have also emphasized training and made steps towards localizing management, a move which reduces staffing costs and miscommunication. Consolidation in the industry has led to the closure of smaller, less efficient factories, the expansion of well-run factories, and job growth. Vertical integration in Cambodia is difficult as the high cost of electricity makes fabric production prohibitively expensive and there are no workers skilled in garment design. Cambodian Garment Industry Statistics -------------- ¶9. (U) Statistics requested reftel are as follows: 2005: --Total industrial production: USD 3,865 million --Total textile and apparel production: USD 2,274 million --Total textile and apparel export: USD 2,253 million --Textile/apparel share of host country exports: 78% --Textile/apparel share of host country imports: 30% (includes fabric used for garment exports) --Exports in textile and apparel to the U.S.: USD 1,531 million --Total manufacturing employment: 331,023 --Total textile and apparel employment: 315,405 January to June 2006: --Total textile and apparel production: USD 1,230 million --Textile/apparel share of host country exports: 64% --Textile/apparel share of host country imports: 26% --Exports in textile and apparel to the U.S.: USD 836 million --Total textile and apparel employment: 336,123 --Increase in total textile and apparel exports compared to Jan to June 2005: 28% January to August 2008: --Total textile and apparel production: USD 1,628 million --Exports in textile and apparel to the U.S.: USD 1,122 million --Increase in total textile and apparel exports compared to Jan to August 2005: 21% PHNOM PENH 00001893 003 OF 003 Comment -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Without the ability to fully explain Cambodia's garment boom, it is impossible to predict how long it will last. Expert opinions as to the post-2008 garment sector future range from continued growth of 10-20% to a decline of up to 30%, followed by a partial rebound. There are, however, two areas where there is broad agreement. First, Cambodia's garment sector will not collapse due to the end of safeguards or increased Chinese competition, though it may contract significantly in the worst case scenario. Second, a protracted labor dispute is the one thing that could do swift and extremely serious damage to the garment industry. The embassy will continue its efforts to promote garment industry competitiveness, through USAID-funded projects in labor dispute resolution, factory monitoring, and productivity improvement and through continual engagement with unions, manufacturers and employers. End Comment. MUSSOMELI