Clothing-textile exports still high
Clothing and textiles remained among the top three exporting industries in Greece last year, continuing a trend going back two decades, according to the Hellenic Fashion Industry Association (SEPEE). «Last year was definitely a better one for the sector than 2005,» SEPEE said in a statement accompanying external trade data for 2006. Although exports of the clothing subsector dropped by 10 percent last year to -971 million, the decline was actually smaller since companies making their products in Bulgaria export them directly, without reimporting them to Greece. Overall exports fell by 2 percent, but exports of the primary textile sector (cotton, silk) rose by 17.9 percent year-on-year, rising to -334.3 million. The total value of the sector’s exports, including primary textiles, came to -1.819 billion, accounting for 11 percent of total Greek exports and 28 percent of all industrial exports. Taking the value of clothing exports as a measure, the five top markets for Greek products are Germany (-231 million), Italy (-80 million), France (-80 million), UK (-76 million) and Cyprus (-64 million). As for textile exports, the main destinations for Greek products are: Bulgaria (-71 million), Italy (-70.9 million), Germany (-57.9 million), the US (-31.6 million) and FYROM (-30 million). Turkey is the biggest market for primary textile exports, with -158.5 million in 2006.