U.S., EU, Canada major importers of Cambodian garments

PHNOM PENH, U.S., EU and Canada were the top three importers of Cambodian garments in 2008, national media on Wednesday.

U.S. remained as the largest market of Cambodian garment products, worth 1.95 billion U.S. dollars in 2008, rising 1.999 billion U.S. dollars in 2007, English-language daily newspaper the Phnom Penh Post quoted the 2008 annual report of the Cambodian Commerce Ministry as saying.

EU stayed at the second place, worth 631 million U.S. dollars in 2008 over 599 million U.S. dollars in 2007, and Canada the third, worth 202 million U.S. dollars in 2008 over 154.5 million U.S. dollars in 2007, according to the report.

The total garment exports in 2008 stood at 3.15 billion U.S. dollars, a 7 percent rise over that of 2007, 2.937 billion U.S. dollars, it said.

Garments were still the kingdom's largest export item in 2008, accounting for around three-quarters of the export earnings, according to the ministry report.