PHNOM PENH, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia exported 6,246 million U.S. dollars worth of garments, footwear and travel goods (GFTs) in the first half of 2024, up 16.5 percent from 5,360 million dollars over the same period last year, said a Ministry of Commerce's report on Tuesday.
Garments accounted for 4,569 million dollars during the January-June period this year, up 18.4 percent from 3,858.5 million dollars over the same period last year, the report said.
Footwear represented 774 million dollars, up 10.4 percent from 700.6 million dollars, while travel goods absorbed 903 million dollars, up 12.7 percent from 801 million dollars, the report added.
The World Bank said in its economic update last month that the GFT sector would be one of the major contributors to Cambodia's economic growth this year, which was predicted at 5.8 percent.
"Exports of garments, travel goods, and footwear rebounded, while non-garment exports, especially of agricultural commodities, remained resilient," the World Bank said.
The GFT industry is the largest foreign exchange earner for the Southeast Asian country.
The sector currently consists of about 1,538 factories and branches, employing approximately 913,000 workers, mostly female, according to the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training's latest report. ■
