Algeria to stop importing clothes from China

Ministries and public enterprises will have to buy textile, clothes, shoes, leather, carpets and covers from national factories instead of importing them from China. Algeria counts 54 public textile manufacturing companies, 10 other production units to manufacture professional uniforms and tens of private enterprises, according to the industry ministry.

This measure is part of the government’s plan to support national production and reduce imports bill which reached $58 billion last year.

The Complementary Financial Act 2015 included a set of measures meant to reduce luxury products importing. In late June 2015, trade balance deficit was estimated at $7.8 billion.

Chairman of the National Federation for Textile and Leather Enterprises, Ammar Takdjout said textile manufacturers benefited from advantages through the Complementary Financial Act including taxes reduction. Investors are allowed to exploit industrial real-estate without bureaucracy-related problems.

He hailed the government’s efforts in supporting textile enterprises.

“Textile manufacturers operating in Algeria employ 50,000 Algerians. They should offer more incitements to set new factories so that they could supply the market by 100 percent before moving to exporting,” he said.

“The main goal is to develop the national industry as Algeria’s economy is in difficult conditions. The Algerian dinar’s value and oil incomes have decreased,” he added.