Garment workers at a local factory. The number of factories operating in the kingdom declined in 2017 (Source: khmertimeskh.com)Cambodia’s exports in 2017 grew by 13 percent although the number of operating factories decreased 4 percent, according to the Ministry of Industry and Handicraft’s report.
The report showed that 1,522 factories registered with the ministry last year, 57 plants lower than that in the previous year. Of which, 1,031 were operating in garment and footwear production.
Meanwhile, 207 factories closed their operation compared to only 12 in 2016.
However, the country’s exports rose to 10.7 billion USD in 2017 from 9.56 billion USD a year earlier. Of which, garment and footwear accounted for 7 billion USD in 2017, a slight increase compared to 6.78 billion USD in 2016.
The Ministry’s spokesman Oum Sotha held that the decline simply means the result of a change in investment trends, adding that some factories have transformed their business model, becoming larger operation.
The number of labourers in the manufacture and industrial sector was 982,203 in 2017.
Meanwhile, the garment and footwear sector alone employed 847,419 workers, accounting for over 86 percent of the total labour force.
By February 20, the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC) approved seven projects building garment and footwear factories. Other approved projects involve in paper production, fruit processing, packaging, and cement and zinc production./.