CAIRO: The total value of Egyptian clothing and textile exports to the United States during the first half of this year reached approximately $455.6 million compared to $442.3 million during the same period last year, an American government report stated. This is a three percent increase and comes despite the decline in overall American imports by 14.3 percent as a result of the continued economic downturn in the US. Egyptian Trade Minister Rashid Mohamed Rashid's office said the report shows that Egyptian exports are increasing in overall value as part of the QIZ Protocol to enable Egyptian products to enter the American market. The ministry said that the QIZ – Qualified Industrial Zones that foreign companies are using as a means of getting their products to the US via Israel – has seen a 6.2 percent increase this year to $393.4 million compared to $370.3 million in 2008. Clothes exports, the report stated, have increased by 7.6 percent. The report that was highlighted by the official Egyptian news agency MENA, saying that despite the continuing decline in total American imports of clothing and textiles. The agency said Egypt was ranked number 17 in American imports compared to 24 during 2008, surpassing Jordan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Turkey, who are also members of similar agreements as Egypt's QIZ. The report also said that the reduction in American imports from all the major competing and exporting countries to the American market, including China, India, Indonesia, Mexico and Pakistan as well as the increase Egyptian exports to the American market indicates “a shift in the American importers choice and preference to buy from cheaper markets such as Vietnam, Bangladesh, Egypt, at the expense of other major higher-cost such as Canada, Hong Kong, Italy, Korea and Turkey.” The value of Egyptian exports of synthetic clothing increased 7 percent during the first half of 2009, MENA reported. The American report confirmed the continuation of Egypt's distinction and its specialization in exporting cotton trousers. Egypt is the sixth largest supplier to the American market of cotton trousers and shorts for men and the ninth largest supplier to the American market for pants and shorts for ladies and girls. It has also become the second largest exporting source for carpets made from synthetic fibers to the US. **reporting by Mohamed Abdel Salam BM
