Tanzanian textile sector said unhurt by flood imported second-hand clothes

TANZANIAN Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade Gregory Teu has assured the country's National Assembly that the local textile industries have not been hurt by the 452,356.6 tonnes of second-hand clothes worth TSZ455.5 million (US$287,674) imported between 2005 and 2011.

IN response to a question, Mr Teu said that between 2009 and 2011 some 3,000 licences were issued to second-hand clothes dealers by local government authorities countywide, reported the Dar es Salaam Daily News. He added that statistics indicated that importation of the garments had been increasing over the years.

Mr Teu pointed out that there were about 48 large-scale importers of the garments, who sold the products to retailers, noting further that the industry employed a big number of people though there was no specific study that had been conducted to establish the actual number of those employed.

He maintained that importation of second-hand clothes has had no direct impact on local textile industries since they mainly produced garments such as khangas, bed sheets and blankets.

But Mr Teu said the local textile industry could still use the opportunity to expand production at a lower cost to compete with imported garments.

In another development, the government said it had identified two sites in Kilolo and Mufindi districts for putting up Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and Export Processing Zone (EPZ). Mr Teu said one site was proposed by the Regional Commissioner's Office, measuring about 500 acres at Viwengi village at Kilolo and another one measuring 1,200 hectares at Ndolezi village in Mufindi district.

Mr Teu explained that procedures were underway to acquire the two sites through the Regional Commissioner's Office by, among other things, paying compensation to owners of the land.