VZCZCXRO3872
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHAM #4038/01 2731347
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 301347Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0462
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 AMMAN 004038 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EEB/TPP/ABT - GARY A. CLEMENTS 
STATE ALSO FOR NEA/ELA AND NEA/RA 
STATE PLEASE PASS TO USTR CAROYL MILLER 
COMMERCE FOR ITA/OTEXA MARIA D'ANDREA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON ETRD KTEX JO
SUBJECT: Jordan's Textiles and Apparel Production: Still Competitive 
in High-End Areas Despite Ongoing Challenges 
 
REFS:  A) AMMAN 3992 
       B) AMMAN 3579 
       C) AMMAN 3472 
       D) STATE 114799 
       E) 06 AMMAN 7759 
 
AMMAN 00004038  001.2 OF 004 
 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE USG. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  In response to Ref D, Post provides below updated 
statistics and information on the textile and apparel industry in 
Jordan.  Jordan's exports of textile and apparel slightly decreased 
during the first half of 2007 to USD 568 million, with over 90% 
going to the U.S. market.  The sector continues to be largely 
dependent on guest workers, who comprise approximately 70 percent of 
the labor force in the Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ), where the 
majority of Jordan's garment factories are located.  Challenges for 
local manufacturers include labor shortages, rising production 
costs, and heightened international competition, particularly from 
Egypt.  If Jordan is to remain competitive, manufacturers will need 
to increase efficiency in production and supply, and develop the 
capacity to deliver higher value-added products to a broader base of 
customers.  Better training and recruitment of local labor will also 
be critical to improve workforce skills, employee satisfaction, and 
retention.  End summary. 
 
Competitive Pressures on Jordan's Apparel Exporters 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶2.  (U) Jordan has the competitive advantage of offering textile and 
apparel manufacturers preferential duty access to the United States 
under the QIZ agreement and the U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement 
(FTA).  Such trade regimes have contributed to overall growth in the 
sector since 1998.  When looking at growth rates for individual 
companies during recent years, however, some businesses have 
continued to expand, while others have recorded flat or negative 
growth since 2005. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Some factory owners who have experienced drops in orders 
from American buyers blame the May 2006 National Labor Committee 
(NLC) report on alleged labor violations.  Others argue that 
American buyers have stood by manufacturers in Jordan as labor 
problems continue to be addressed, and that any decrease in orders 
is purely a business decision based on heightened international 
competition and cost of production.  In particular, Embassy contacts 
among the exporter community and in the Government of Jordan (GOJ) 
cite the main challenges to local manufacturers as the insufficient 
availability of qualified labor pools locally, tightened GOJ entry 
restrictions for guest workers, competition from Egypt, rising fuel 
and labor costs, and heightened global pressure following the end of 
the multi-fiber arrangement on January 1, 2005 (Refs A, B, C, and 
E). 
 
¶4.  (U) These challenges have caused some manufacturers to let 
production lines sit idle, refuse additional orders, and decrease 
export levels.  In contrast, other factories have determined that 
they may no longer be as competitive in low-end garments, and thus, 
have shifted production into higher custom duty items (i.e., less 
cotton and more polyester/polyester blends), and higher value 
products yielding better profit margins and more orders from U.S. 
buyers (Ref C).  For example, some factories have begun 
manufacturing work uniforms, and the Jordan Garment and Textile 
Exporters' Association (JGATE) reports that one company recently 
made a deal to produce bullet-proof vests.  In examining requests 
for product approval, Jordan's Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) 
has noticed an overall increase in FOB (Freight on Board) prices 
compared to previous years. 
 
¶5.  (U) MOIT knows of at least one case in which an Asia-based 
direct foreign investor in Jordan, "Golden Wear" denim producers, 
closed down its factory and relocated to Bangladesh.  During a 
survey of 52 factories by a USAID-funded garment manufacturing 
consultant, many of the visited factory owners hinted that they are 
considering expansion or relocation plans away from Jordan into 
Egypt and Southeast Asia.  Additionally, since the May 2006 NLC 
report, the Ministry of Labor has closed down at least eight small 
factories, mostly involved in sub-contracting, due to labor 
violations. 
 
No Safeguards Against China 
--------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U) As reported last year, the GOJ has not implemented, nor sees 
any need to implement safeguards against imports from China (Ref E). 
 
 
 
AMMAN 00004038  002.2 OF 004 
 
 
Labor Challenges 
---------------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Post has reported over the course of the year on the GOJ's 
actions in response to various alleged violations of local labor 
laws and international labor standards (Refs A, B).  Draft 
amendments to the national labor law will be submitted to the new 
parliament for approval after the upcoming November parliamentary 
elections, according to the Minister of Labor.  An increased minimum 
wage from 95 JD ($134) to JD 110 ($155) per month went into effect 
on January 1, 2007.  The GOJ has facilitated the repatriation or 
transfer to other factories of displaced foreign workers from 
factories that have closed down.  Efforts persist to regularize the 
permit status of foreign workers.  Apparel manufacturers continue to 
lobby the GOJ to ease regulations on hiring foreign laborers and to 
improve training programs for local labor.  USAID plans to 
contribute over $2.7 million to the International Labour 
Organization's Better Work Jordan program to strengthen the 
inspection regime and enhance public-private dialogue. 
 
Efforts to Increase Competitiveness 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (U) The private sector continues to request a more comprehensive 
GOJ strategy for the garment sector that demonstrates continued 
support for the industry, particularly since some view the 
restrictions on foreign labor as an "anti-garment" policy that hurts 
business.  As part of a new trade and enterprise development 
strategy, USAID's $69 million Sustainable Achievement of Business 
Expansion and Quality (SABEQ) program is helping the GOJ develop a 
new strategy to enhance the garment sector.  The GOJ has also 
established programs to provide technical and financial assistance 
for industries, and established sectoral units to prepare strategies 
to enhance the competitiveness of industrial sectors in Jordan, 
specifically export consortia for the textile sector. 
 
¶9.  (U) The GOJ has also signed national and international 
agreements to assist local industries in penetrating international 
markets.  Pursuant to an amendment of the QIZ agreement, Jordan and 
Israel also started allowing in July 2007 quarterly approvals for 
the Israeli content contribution to products, cutting down on the 
bureaucracy and time previously needed to gain approval from the 
Israeli side. 
 
Impact of the U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶10.  (U) The U.S.-Jordan FTA has provided more exporting options for 
manufacturers outside the QIZs.  As tariff rates continue to drop 
according to schedule, Jordan has been seeing a switch from 
exporting to the U.S. under the QIZ agreement to the FTA agreement, 
a trend that will likely continue (Ref C). 
 
The Future of Apparel Manufacturing in Jordan 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Comment:  Jordan's big and established manufacturers are 
unlikely to leave, particularly those that rely on local labor for 
production.  Despite increased international competition, many 
factories in Jordan have the advantage of already-established 
relations with American buyers and a strong track record in 
providing reliable service and high quality goods.  If Jordan is to 
remain competitive, the sector will need to adjust to changing 
global and local pressures with increased efficiency in production, 
transportation, and supply.  Manufacturers will need to develop 
their capacity to deliver higher value-added products and services 
to a broadened base of retail customers.  Better training and 
recruitment of local labor will also be critical to improving 
workforce skills, employee satisfaction, and retention.  In 
coordination with the GOJ, USAID-funded SABEQ plans to provide 
additional technical assistance to address some of these areas and 
improve competitiveness of the sector.  End Comment. 
 
Statistics 
---------- 
 
¶12.  (U) As requested in para 4 of Ref D, provided below are updated 
statistics that date back to 2005 due to some revisions of earlier 
numbers provided in last year's report (Ref E). 
 
-- NOTES: 
¶A.  Source:  Jordan's Department of Statistics (DOS), unless 
otherwise indicated. 
¶B.  Exchange rate used: 1 USD = .708 Jordanian Dinar 
¶C.  H1 = First Half of Year (January - June) 
 
AMMAN 00004038  003 OF 004 
 
 
 
Production 
---------- 
 
At current (nominal) prices 
 
GDP (USD Billion) 
2005      12.63 
2006      14.12 
H1 2006    6.68 
H1 2007    7.42 
 
Industrial Production* (USD Billion) 
2005       2.72 
2006       3.08 
H1 2006    1.42 
H1 2007    1.58 
*Includes Mining and Quarrying, Manufacturing, and Electricity and 
Water 
 
Manufacturing (USD Billion) 
2005       2.05 
2006       2.40 
H1 2006    1.08 
H1 2007    1.22 
 
Manufacturing of textiles, apparel and leather products* 
         USD Billion 
2005       1.19 
2006       1.71 
H1 2006    0.65 
H1 2007    0.67 
*This is the first time that DOS has provided up-to-date statistics 
that more closely reflect expected production levels in this 
category. 
 
Jordan's Imports and Domestic Exports 
------------------------------------- 
 
Imports 
         USD Billion 
2005      10.51 
2006      11.56 
H1 2006    5.70 
H1 2007    6.16 
 
Imports of Textile and Apparel 
         USD Billion       Share of Imports 
2005       0.867                8.3% 
2006       1.01                 8.7% 
H1 2006    0.484                8.5% 
H1 2007    0.481                7.8% 
 
Imports from the U.S. 
         USD Million       Share of imports 
2005       588.97               5.6% 
2006       555.50               4.8% 
H1 2006    260.99               4.6% 
H1 2007    282.53               4.6% 
 
Imports of Textile & Apparel from the U.S. 
           USD          Shares of imports from/of 
         Million     U.S.A    Text&Apparel    All Imports 
2005         9.62     1.6%      1.1%             0.09% 
2006        11.16     2.0%      1.1%             0.10% 
H1 2006      5.64     2.2%      1.2%             0.10% 
H1 2007      5.52     2.0%      1.1%             0.09% 
 
Domestic Exports 
         USD Billion 
2005        3.63 
2006        4.14 
H1 2006     1.98 
H1 2007     2.23 
 
Domestic Exports of Textiles and Apparels 
         USD Billion       Share of Domestic Exports 
2005        1.080                29.7% 
2006        1.270                30.7% 
H1 2006*    0.576                29.1% 
H1 2007*    0.568                25.5% 
*These DOS figures represent domestic exports of textiles and 
apparel from all areas of Jordan.  MOIT reported USD 520 million in 
apparel exports from only the QIZs in the first half of 2007, 
compared to USD 554 million in the first half of 2006. 
 
AMMAN 00004038  004.2 OF 004 
 
 
 
Domestic Exports to the U.S. 
         USD Billion       Share of domestic exports 
2005        1.12                30.7% 
2006        1.28                31.0% 
H1 2006     0.57                28.8% 
H1 2007     0.57                25.6% 
 
Domestic Exports of Textile & Apparel to the U.S. 
           USD          Shares of exports to/of 
         Billion     U.S.A    Text&Apparel    Dom Exports 
2005        0.98     87.9%      91.2%           27.0% 
2006        1.17     90.9%      91.7%           28.2% 
H1 2006*    0.53     93.0%      94.1%           26.8% 
H1 2007*    0.52     91.2%      93.5%           23.3% 
*These DOS figures represent domestic exports of textiles and 
apparel to the U.S. from all areas of Jordan.  MOIT reported USD 497 
million in apparel exports to the U.S. from only the QIZs during the 
first half of 2007, compared to USD 529 million during the first 
half of 2006. 
 
Population and Employment Figures 
--------------------------------- 
 
Estimated population, Year End 2006           5,600,000 
   of which, 15 years old and over     62.7%  3,511,200 
   of which, economically active       37.7%  1,323,722 
   of which, employed                  86.0%  1,138,401 
   of which, employed in manufacturing 11.2%    127,500 
*Based on DOS's Employment and Unemployment Survey - 2006 Annual 
Report.  The number of employed workers does not include guest 
workers. 
 
Employment in Qualifying Industrial Zones (as of July 31, 2007, 
Source: Ministry of Labor) 
Total                       51,349 
   of which, Jordanians     15,183 
   of which, guest workers  36,166 
 
Visit Amman's Classified Website at: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/amman 
 
HALE