The Vietnamese apparel sector earned nearly 6 billion USD from exports in the first four months of 2014, a 20 percent rise over the same period last year, according to statistics from the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Le Tien Truong, Vice Director of the Vietnam Garment and Textile Group (Vinatex), said the sector’s strong growth was foreseen right from the beginning of the year as their was a surge in the number of orders.

Currently, many enterprises have enough orders to keep them busy until the end of the third quarter or even the whole year, he said.

Meanwhile, stable orders were seen in traditional markets of Vietnam like the European Union, the Republic of Korea, Japan and the US, he added.

Truong also noted that the recent Saigon Tex 2014 exhibition, which showcased machines, equipment, accessories and material for garment and textile, created a good chance for Vietnamese enterprises to update new technology, thus increasing the added value of the products.

As part of efforts to boost the sustainable development of the sector, the relevant Trade Union and the Vietnam Association of Garment and Textile signed a new collective agreement in April to give better conditions for workers, said Truong.

Meanwhile, talks are under way on a huge project which aims to build a full supply chain in the northern province of Nam Dinh, which covers a total area of 1,500 hectares and is able to employ up to 300,000 employees, he noted.-VNA