Textile Association Launched in Cambodia to Strengthen Apparel Sector

PHNOM PENH-The China Textile Association in Cambodia (CTAC) launches in Southeast Asia. Targeting Chinese investors, the organization aims to bolster the region’s growth in the apparel manufacturing sector.

Cambodian news outlet Khmer Times reports that the association officially unveiled the launch this past Saturday with officials from the Cambodian government presenting. According to the report, CTAC will provide legal advice to potential investors and act as a liaison with the government.

Cham Prasidh, Cambodian minister of industry and handicrafts, spoke at the launch and expressed that the group will be an “important partner” in strengthening the textile and apparel industry in the country. Prasidh declared that the organization was “ready to help and facilitate” those interested in investing in Cambodian garment manufacturing and related industries.

While the U.S. and EU are two of the biggest buyers in the region, and China continues to dominate many export markets, Cambodia’s manufacturing sector continues to grow and seek additional exporters. The Khmer Times notes that of the country’s more than 600 factories, 520 produce garments. Additionally, the workforce features roughly 800,000 Cambodians, with 80 percent of that group being women. The country also offers the fifth-highest minimum wage in Southeast Asia for the garment industry.