“The government needs to decide if it wants to protect employment here or hand it to Asian countries,” Camilo Rodriguez, president of Colombia’s Apparel And Related Products Chamber (CCCyA), told Sourcing Journal.
Bowing to industry pressure, Bogota unveiled an industry-splitting decree a fortnight ago, hoping to stem Asian imports from denting local sales amid heavy losses brought on by the pandemic. Retail sales, for instance, plunged 22 percent last year.
The bill, now available for public review, slapped a 40 percent duty on clothing priced under $10 and a 15 percent plus $1.50 per kilogram tax for all apparel fetching over $10 when arriving at the country’s ports.