Silk imports set to slide as sector suffers from crisis

But weavers say Cambodia needs to boost local production of raw silk to reduce reliance on thread from Vietnam and China.

IMPORTS of silk thread into Cambodia are expected to drop 25 percent this year on lower demand for silk products in the wake of the global economic crisis, the Khmer Silk Village Association said Monday.

Association Deputy Secretary Ke Muny said he anticipated that just 300 tonnes of the raw material would be brought into the country this year, down from 400 tonnes in 2008. “We believe that this year’s importation of silk thread will decrease at least 100 tonnes compared to last year because many entrepreneurs have been reducing their productivity because of the ... global economic crisis,” Ke Muny said.

Almost all the silk thread used in Cambodia to produce scarves, sampots (traditional costumes) and purses for local and international markets is imported, with around 90 percent of imports coming from Vietnam and the remainder from China. Click to read more...