Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City plan to double the garment and textile industry's export turnover by 2015 over the 2010 figure of 3.3 billion USD.

The city, which sees the industry as one of its five key exports from 2011 to 2015, has asked manufacturers to expand production, improve product quality and find new markets.

In recent years, garment companies in HCM City have improved product quality and design by investing in advanced technologies.

As a result, many companies such as Anh Phuoc, Thai Tuan, Viet Thy, Viet Thang and Phong Phu have increased their market share in the country.

HCM City is also developing a plan to reduce the industry's reliance on imported raw materials, according to the report.

A draft plan calls for more local production of materials used in the garment and textile industry, including fabric and accessories like zippers. Currently, most raw materials are imported.

The plan aims to increase the ratio of locally produced raw materials from 45 percent to 65 percent by 2020.

The city's five-year plan drawn up for the industry also calls for a design centre, a factory to produce accessories for the industry, and a plant to produce machinery for garment factories.

Currently, more than 5,400 garment and textile manufacturing and trading companies are operating in HCM City , with a total of 306,000 labourers.

The city accounts for 37 percent of the industry’s total output nationwide.

Last year, the industry's export turnover reached more than 4.3 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 11.5 percent.-VNA