Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) export earnings in the European Union (EU) market suffered an 11.67 percent year-on-year drop during the first eight months (January–August) of 2026, falling from €13.50 billion in 2025 to €11.93 billion, representing a net revenue loss of nearly €1.58 billion.
According to Eurostat data compiled by Bangladesh Apparel Voice (BAV), overall EU garment imports contracted by 3.83 percent to €60.29 billion during this period. While Bangladesh's garment export volume in weight dropped by 4.58 percent, the primary catalyst behind the steep revenue decline was a sharp reduction in unit prices. The average export price per kilogram of Bangladeshi apparel plummeted by 7.43 percent, dropping from €14.87 to €13.76 per KG.
In contrast to Bangladesh and other major Asian suppliers—including Turkey (-11.02%), India (-10.84%), Sri Lanka (-11.12%), and Pakistan (-9.63%)—China and Vietnam bucked the downward trend. China’s garment exports to the EU grew by 2.38 percent to €19.71 billion, while Vietnam’s export value rose 4.46 percent to €3.0 billion, boosted by a 10.11 percent surge in its per-KG unit pricing. Despite the eight-month downturn, Eurostat statistics for August 2026 showed early signs of stabilization, recording a modest 0.72 percent uptick in total EU apparel import value.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Staff Reporter • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
