Textile sector has untapped potential: Nime

Business

THE textile industry has been described as a “sleeping giant” because of its huge untapped potential which can benefit the people in small to medium enterprises.
Programme officer Betty Nime, of the Department of National Planning and Monitoring, told the Garment and Textile Training Programme graduation yesterday that the industry was continuing to grow.
“A research paper on the PNG Garment and Textile Industry Development Policy projected that domestic demand for garment and textile from 2002 to 2016 is about K1.8 billion. And from 2016 to 2020, it is K3.3 billion,” Nime said.
“As the population increases, these figures will gradually increase.
“The challenge for the trainees is to change this trend by way of local manufacturing to reduce the import of manufactured garments including secondhand clothing.
“This industry is a sleeping giant and has great potential for the nation – like the tourism industry.”