TEXTILE INDUSTRY
Textile industry as a traditional industrial branch, according to participation in employment and in export represents a sector which has significant importance for the economy of the Republic of Macedonia.
In the textile industry are 40.825 employees (37 percent in the total number of employees in processing industry), mostly women labour force, or 10 percent from the overall number of employees in the country.
There are 1930 enterprises registered, which is 4,3 percent of the overall number of trade companies.
Regarding the size of the companies in the textile industry, and considering the number of employees, there is a dominant participation of micro enterprises (1-9 employees), and of small enterprises (10-49 employees).
The total industrial production index flow after 2000 is declines, especially in textile industry.
Industrial Production Index (2005=100)
|
|
2005
|
2006
|
2007
|
2008
|
2009
|
2010
|
2013
|
|
Overall industry
|
96.2
|
91.8
|
96.2
|
115.8
|
106.5
|
103.6
|
106.7
|
|
Production of textile fabrics
|
87.2
|
94.8
|
69.7
|
88.2
|
62.1
|
68.1
|
58.0
|
|
Production of garments
|
98,5
|
86.3
|
69.1
|
74.8
|
73.3
|
62.8
|
80.1
|
In the production of basic textile products (yarn and fabrics) there are great varies from year to year, and there is no continuity, and has a tendency of significant production decline.
In the production of garments there is a slight decline compared to fabrics production, hence from 26 groups of products, 10 have production growth – trousers, overalls, jackets and suit jacket, etc.
Export – The most present groups of products in the textile industry export are: chemises, women’s shirts, men’s cotton shirts, trousers, overalls, men’s jackets and suit jackets, etc.
According to the State Statistical Office data textile industry in 2013 has accomplished export in the amount of US$ 701.516.142.00 which is 16.44 percent, of the last year’s total export. It is smaller compared to 2006, when the textile export has a share of above 23 percent from the overall exported products from Macedonia to the world.
Almost 92 percent of the production potentials are exported in the EU member-states, as well as in the US, and in the neighboring countries. According to the realized export in 2013, the most significant partners of Macedonia are:
- Germany- with export of US$ 450 million or 64.2 percent of the totally realized export of textile for 2013;
- Greece – US$ 94.6 million or 13.7 percent;
- Netherlands – US$ 86.6 million or 12.2 percent;
- Great Britain – US$ 14.5 million or 2.1 percent;
In this period the companies mainly are engaged in lohn production for foreign partners (Germany, Italy and Netherlands). Foreign partners` interest is still the Macedonian market, due to the fact that the countries in the region (Bulgaria and Romania), by entering in the European Union become very expensive market. Having into consideration the fact that the profit is final goal for every businessman, Western European countries still see in Macedonia an interesting partner with cheap labour force. Hence, the intention of the Macedonian companies should be adjustment to the world market flows. Therefore, in future the development of this branch should be directed to development markets.
Having into consideration the textile industry labour intensive character and the opportunities which it gives to the development of the underdeveloped and rural areas, it is imperative to create more favorable macro-economic conditions for these industries by their systems` spurring
and creation of own production (not only lohn) in order to increase the competitiveness on the foreign
