RMG exports to EU dip 13.65pc in 7 months

Bangladesh’s readymade garment (RMG) exports to the European Union declined by 13.65 per cent year-on-year to 10.37 billion euros in January-July of 2026.

In the mentioned period, the EU imported apparel worth 51.61 billion euros, which saw a decline of 5.10 per cent from 54.39 billion euros a year earlier, according to Eurostat data.

Although Bangladesh remained the EU’s second-largest apparel supplier after China, the gap widened further as China posted growth in an otherwise contracting market, showed data compiled by Bangladesh Apparel Voice.

Among the major suppliers, Bangladesh recorded the sharpest decline. Exporters attributed the decline to fall in demands, intensifying competition and domestic energy crisis.

In terms of volume, Bangladesh shipped 751.91 million kilograms of apparel to the EU in the January-July period of 2026, down 5.66per cent from 796.98 million kilograms recorded in the same period of 2025.

The steeper fall in value compared with volume indicates that Bangladeshi exporters received significantly lower unit prices during the period.

Moreover, the average unit price of Bangladeshi apparel on the EU market stood at 13.80 euros a kilogram, which was 8.47per cent lower than the 15.07 euros recorded in January-July of 2025.

Bangladesh’s unit price also remained the second lowest among the major suppliers after Pakistan’s 10.77 euros, against the EU average of 19.84 euros a kilogram.

By comparison, Vietnam’s unit price rose 11.76per cent to 29.00 euros and Cambodia’s 7.86per cent to 18.67 euros, while China’s edged down 2.18per cent to 20.20 euros.

Among major apparel exporters, China’s apparel exports to the EU rose 1.89per cent to 16.42 billion euros from 16.12 billion euros, making it the only major supplier apart from Vietnam to record growth during the period.

Among the other major suppliers, Turkey’s apparel exports to the EU fell 13.32per cent to 4.38 billion euros in the first six months of 2026 from 5.06 billion euros in the same period of 2025, while India’s declined 12.24per cent to 2.74 billion euros from 3.13 billion euros.

Cambodia’s shipments dropped 6.69per cent to 2.34 billion euros from 2.51 billion euros and Pakistan’s fell 11.81per cent to 1.96 billion euros from 2.22 billion euros.

Vietnam’s exports increased by 3.92per cent to 2.55 billion euros from 2.46 billion euros, taking it past Cambodia to become the EU’s fifth-largest apparel supplier during the period.

Exporters also urged adequate policy supports, like the competitors, to remain competitive on the EU markets, along with focus on market and product diversification, innovation and research.

Bangladesh’s RMG exports to the European Union reached 19.41 billion euros in 2025, witnessing a positive growth of 5.97per cent from 18.31 billion euros earned in 2024.