Commerce Secretary Gary Locke Discusses New Incentives to Boost Haitian Apparel Sector Top apparel importers meet with Locke U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke met today with representatives from key U.S. apparel importers and retailers, including J.C. Penney, VF Americas and Polo Ralph Lauren, at the Commerce Department to discuss trade benefits created by recently passed legislation designed to help U.S. companies increase their apparel sourcing from earthquake-stricken Haiti.
The apparel sector has the greatest potential to generate jobs relatively quickly and boost Haiti’s economic recovery, and it’s a critical component of the Haitian economy, constituting more than 80 percent of Haitian exports to the United States and employing more than 25,000 workers. Just four months after January’s earthquake, Haitian manufacturers are up and running, operating at more than 90 percent capacity.
Rick Wade, senior adviser and deputy chief of staff to Locke, is heading the department’s Haiti business outreach and joined Locke in today’s meeting. Wade attended all three recent conferences and plans to participate in the upcoming June events as well.
“Today’s meeting with U.S. apparel importers and retailers gave us greater insight into how we can make ‘HELP’ work for Haiti,” Wade said. “With this information, we can better facilitate relationships between U.S. companies and Haitian manufacturers at our upcoming events in Philadelphia and Port-au-Prince.” ‘HELP’ was enacted on Tuesday and significantly extends existing trade benefits for Haitian textiles and apparel until 2020, including increased quotas for knit and woven apparel and unlimited duty-free treatment for certain textile and apparel products. The program greatly increases the attractiveness of the Haitian apparel sector for foreign investment.
For more information on upcoming events in Philadelphia or Port-au-Prince, please visit http://www.buyusa.gov/philadelphia/reconstructhaiti.html and http://amcham.org.do/haiti/index-en.asp.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
