Labor shortage looms for booming textile industry

Textile exports jumped by 33 percent in the first quarter to nearly US$4 billion but the industry is worried about a likely shortage of workers this year, according to the Vietnam Textile Association.

Pham Xuan Hong, the association’s deputy chairman, said exporters have signed many contracts in major markets like the US, Europe, Japan, and some other Asian countries and more are in the pipeline.

Their only concern now, especially for small and medium-sized exporters, is to find enough workers to execute their contracts in the middle and end of this year, he said.

Workers from rural areas have to move to cities where textile plants are located, but due to the rising prices of almost all goods and services, they find this unaffordable and choose to stay back and look for other jobs, he explained.

Textile exports were worth nearly $11.2 billion last year, a 23 percent year on year.

This year’s target is $13 billion. – Tuoitre

Tags: Vietnam textile industry