Amman, May 29 (Petra) – A member of the Board of Directors of Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC), Asaad Qawasmi, said the Kingdom’s garment sector is “ready” to receive the summer, Hajj, and Eid Adha seasons.

In a statement to “Petra” on Thursday, he noted apparel prices are “stable and declining” due to the “intense” competition, discounts and online sales.

Qawasmi hoped sales of clothing items will increase with the start of Hajj season, Eid Adha, summer, and return of Jordanian expatriates, which would compensate the weak demand during the past Ramadan and winter periods.

Qawasmi noted traders in the sector imported goods worth JD118 million, marking an increase of about JD10 million, compared to the same season last year, adding that most shipments came from China, the Far East, Turkey, Egypt, and the European Union.

Qawasmi stated the current demand is “better,” compared to the last Ramadan season, however “still falls below the levels of previous years.”

“Competition with e-commerce parcels remains one of the difficult phases for the garment sector due to the lack of fairness in paying taxes and customs duties on these inbound parcels, ” he pointed out.

To address the sector’s woes, he called for lowering sales tax to seize return of expatriates who have begun purchasing clothing items from abroad.

Noting multiple challenges facing the sector, he said it mainly battles unplanned expansion of markets, and the close proximity of shopping malls.

Qawasmi said the Kingdom’s clothing and footwear sector is the “primary” supporter of Jordanian employment, accounting for 95% of the total industry’s workforce.

As the largest sector employing young university students on a part-time basis, he said it supports over 300,000 Jordanian households through jobs in 11,000 stores across the Kingdom.
//Petra// AG
29/05/2025 17:59:19