US embassy cable - 05MANAMA1412

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 001412 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EB/TPP/ABT EHARTNEY 
STATE PASS TO USTR AHEYLINGER 
COMMERCE FOR ITA/OTEXA MD'ANDREA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2015 
TAGS: KTEX, ECON, ETRD, BA 
SUBJECT: TEXTILES AND APPAREL SECTOR: UPDATED STATISTICS 
AND PROJECTION OF FUTURE COMPETITIVENESS 
 
REF: STATE 146213 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Susan L. Ziadeh, reasons 1.4 (b) 
 and (d). 
 
1. (U) Bahrain's textile and apparel industry is relatively 
small and represents a minimal contribution to GDP.  Its 
contribution is further reduced by a robust increase in oil 
revenues, which increased by 20 percent in 2004.  The lifting 
of global textile quotas on January 1, 2005 has led to 
several textile factory closures and an overall reduction in 
textile and apparel production.  The largest and most 
technologically advanced local textile firm is Manama 
Textiles.  With GOB encouragement, it has absorbed some of 
its failing competitors and has managed to survive thus far. 
Manama Textiles exports 70 percent of its production to the 
U.S. 
 
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DATA 
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2. (U) Data available on textile and apparel production in 
Bahrain for 2004, requested reftel, are as follows: 
 
- Total Industrial Production: USD 3,942.5 million (Source: 
Bahrain Monetary Agency).  This includes manufacturing, 
fishing, agriculture, mining, electricity and water 
production. 
 
- Total Textiles and Apparel Production: No official 
statistics are available.  However, a local industry expert 
estimates textile production at USD 80 million and apparel 
production at USD 246.94 million. 
 
- Textiles and Apparel's Share of Bahrain's Imports: 3.4% 
 
- Textiles and Apparel's Share of Bahrain's Exports: 3.3% 
 
- Total Manufacturing Employment: No official statistics are 
available, but Embassy estimates derived from Bahrain 
Monetary Agency statistics, in addition to data provided by 
the Ministry of Finance, place manufacturing employment at 
23,100 
 
- Total Textiles Employment: No official statistics are 
available.  However, a local industry expert places 
employment in 2004 at between 1,200 to 1,700 Bahraini 
nationals. (Similar estimates were used in the FTA.) 
 
- Total Apparel Employment: No official statistics are 
available.  However, industry experts estimate total apparel 
employment in 2004 at 8,000 to 11,000 of which approximately 
2,500 were Bahraini nationals.  (Note: The total number of 
apparel factories dropped from 22 at the close of 2003, to 
just 15 at the close of 2004. 
 
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 
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 3. (U) Manama Textiles CEO Hamid Nishat told Econoff 
September 14 that the relatively small size of the local 
textile industry, coupled with its limited growth potential 
(due to a limited supply of skilled textile labor and no 
domestically available inputs) renders it vulnerable to 
international competition.  He confirms that competition has 
depressed prices and that the overall amount of orders has 
decreased.  (Note: The downturn in profitability for the 
sector has disproportionately affected Bahraini-owned 
companies, which tend to have fewer distribution channels 
than their foreign-owned counterparts.  The majority of 
textile companies currently operating in Bahrain represent 
Asian investment.  End Note.)  Economic Development Board 
(EDB) Vice President of Manufacturing Project Development and 
Lead Textiles Negotiator for the U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade 
Agreement (FTA) Dr. Haitham Essa Al Qahtani told Emboffs 
September 14 that several foreign investors, including Asian 
investors, have closed factories in Bahrain following the 
elimination of global textile quotas this year.  Companies 
lacking international distribution networks have been 
particularly hard hit.  Other small factories are reported to 
be running acutely below capacity. 
 
4. (U) Local industry experts report that neither the seven 
U.S.-approved safeguards restricting the growth of Chinese 
imports nor the European Union agreement with China to limit 
growth of certain textiles and apparel products have had any 
visible effect on the local textile sector's export 
prospects.  Dr. Al Qahtani states that the Government of 
Bahrain has not implemented, nor is it considering 
implementing, any measures to reduce the growth of imports of 
Chinese textiles. 
5. (U) Many workers have lost their jobs due to recent 
factory closures.  The GOB has provided retraining to 
displaced Bahraini and expat workers in many cases.  Post is 
not aware of any instances in which global textile industry 
competition has had a negative impact on union organizing. 
Interestingly, Mr. Nishat notes that increasing competition 
for expat labor is creating pressure on employers to increase 
wages.  Bahrain has no minimum wage. 
 
6. (U) The GOB has taken measures to improve the overall 
investment climate by reducing bureaucracy and improving 
transparency.  The Ministry of Industry and Commerce 
established the Bahrain Investor's Center in a bid to 
streamline and simplify the process of opening new 
businesses.  The EDB seeks to attract new investors to reopen 
closed factories and will promote a restructuring of the 
local textile industry. 
 
7. (U) Manama Textiles has set up a processing house to 
introduce value-added, finished fabrics.  Mr. Nishat says his 
company is also considering additional investments on the 
order of USD 50 million over the next two years to enhance 
its vertical market position in anticipation of increased 
trade following the implementation of the FTA.  The FTA will 
allow duty-free import of Bahraini textile and apparel 
products.  (Note: The FTA has been fully ratified by the GOB. 
 The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee has formally set 
hearings on the FTA for September 29.  Senate hearings are 
expected to take place shortly thereafter with a view toward 
full ratification before year-end.  End note.) 
 
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COMMENT 
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8. (C) Mr. Nishat expresses optimism that FTA implementation 
will spur a recovery in Bahrain's flagging textile sector. 
Government officials report being committed to facilitating 
recovery of the sector.  However, they privately acknowledge 
that it may already be too late for Bahrain's small textile 
sector to recover against steadily increasing competitive 
pressure.  Though officials express concern at finding jobs 
for laid-off textile workers, alternate employment in the 
sector is seen as a decreasingly viable option.  It is likely 
that the sector will continue to decline, though some 
individual firms, such as Manama Textiles, may manage to 
prosper.  End Comment. 
 
 
 
 
MONROE