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REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Global fashion retailers including H&M (HMb.ST) and Gap (GPS.N) are committed to raising purchase prices for Bangladesh-made clothing to help factories there offset higher workers' wages, a U.S.-based association representing more than 1,000 brands said. Asked if they would raise purchase prices by the 5-6% that costs will rise, Stephen Lamar, chief executive of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), told Reuters: "Absolutely". "We also renew our pleas for the adoption of an annual minimum wage review mechanism so that Bangladeshi workers are not disadvantaged by changing macroeconomic conditions." Low wages have helped Bangladesh build its garment industry, which employs about 4 million people. Retailers in the United States and Europe are the main buyers of Bangladesh-made clothes.

Persons: Mohammad Ponir Hossain, Stephen Lamar, Lamar, Sheikh Hasina, Hasina, Krishna N, Ruma Paul, Miral Organizations: The Civil Engineering, REUTERS, Labour, American Apparel & Footwear Association, Reuters, International Labour Organization, Abercrombie & Fitch, Bangladesh, Retailers, Thomson Locations: Dhaka, Bangladesh, DELHI, U.S, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, United States, Europe

U.S. officials visiting South Africa this week to meet African trade ministers will face calls to reauthorise the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) which expires in 2025. Apparel companies and industry insiders warn that Africa risks a once-in-a-generation shift away from Chinese manufacturing passing it by, with an estimated 240,000 to 290,000 jobs such as Nasimiyu's under threat. Apparel has been the standout success story of AGOA, which launched in 2000 to help develop African economies and foster democracy. African apparel exports under the programme reached nearly $1.4 billion last year, double the amount pre-AGOA. "We've been struck by how open the opportunity is now for us," South African Trade Minister Ebrahim Patel said last week.

Persons: Norah Nasimiyu, Thomas Mukoya, Pankaj Bedi, Norah Nasimiyu's, We've, Ebrahim Patel, Stephen Lamar, Michael Walsh, Constance Hamilton, Biden, Greg Poole, Bedi, Joe Bavier, Duncan Miriri, Alexander Smith Organizations: United Aryan, Processing, The U.S, REUTERS, U.S . Congress, AFRICA Industry, African Trade, United States Fashion Industry Association, American Apparel and Footwear Association, Congress, Research, U.S . International Trade Commission, GSP, UAL, Thomson Locations: Ruaraka district, Nairobi, Kenya, China, NAIROBI, U.S, South Africa, Africa, Philadelphia, Moscow, Beijing, Russia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Ethiopia, AGOA, gridlock, United States, Johannesburg

☆ Add the climate crisis to the long list of things messing up supply chains this summer
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The climate crisis is throwing a wrench into already messy supply chains. Climate change and the El Niño weather phenomenon are affecting water levels in the Panama Canal. The situation is serious this summer because of a historic drought affecting rainfall that feeds into the Panama Canal. Advertisement Advertisement Watch:Droughts aren't a new phenomenon at the Panama Canal — climate change has been associated with unpredictable weather for years. Supply chains were already in chaos from COVID-19, geopolitics, and rising costs in ChinaTo be sure, the vessel congestion at the Panama Canal is troubling because it adds to the existing stress on the world's supply chains.

Persons: Nari Viswanathan, Viswanathan, Project44, Stephen Lamar, Jon Davis, Donald Trump, Biden Organizations: Service, American Apparel & Footwear Association, CNBC Locations: Panama, Washington, El, COVID, China, China . Washington, Beijing, India, Vietnam

The International Labour Organization (ILO), of which Cambodia is a member, permits prison labour provided it is not forced. The companies, which Sopheak confirmed were W Dexing Garment (Cambodia), IGTM (Cambodia) and Chia Ho (Cambodia) Garment Industrial, did not respond to requests for comment. It said it learned in February that Cambodia was investigating and that the prison workshops had been suspended. Centric told Reuters in an email in June that it had "placed on hold" imports from a factory in Cambodia and would "immediately terminate" any supplier found to be using prison labour. CAMBODIA INVESTIGATESPrison labour at CC2 potentially puts Cambodia at odds with the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences, which grants duty-free benefits to eligible developing nations.

Persons: Keo Chhea, Sopheak, Chia Ho, AAFA's, Ken Loo, Aun, Loo, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, amfori, Klot Dara, Stephen Lamar, Nate Herman, Clare Baldwin, Katherine Masters, Siddharth Cavale, John Shiffman, Kristina Cooke, David Crawshaw, Kay Johnson Organizations: Correctional, Google, REUTERS Acquire, Walmart, Centric Brands, Reuters, American Apparel and Footwear Association, International Labour Organization, ILO, Cambodian Ministry of Commerce, State, European Union, Japan, Garment, Human Rights, Textile, Apparel, Footwear, Travel Goods Association, IZOD, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, U.S, Travelway, Centric, Better Factories, BFC, amfori's Business, Authentic Brands, U.S . Trade, CC2, Cambodia's Ministry of Interior, General Department of Prisons, Facebook, Thomson Locations: Phnom Penh, Cambodia, PHNOM PENH, U.S, Washington, AAFA, IGTM, Canada, Better Factories Cambodia, CC2, CAMBODIA, Cambodia's U.S, New York, Los Angeles

☆ 'This is going to get worse before it gets better': Panama Canal pileup due to drought reaches 154 vessels
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A ship navigates through the Panama Canal in the area near the Americas' Bridge in Panama City on April 24, 2023. The Panama Canal is a critical trade link for U.S. shippers heading to Gulf and East Coast ports. The U.S. is the largest user of the Panama Canal, with total U.S. commodity export and import containers representing about 73% of Panama Canal traffic. The massive pileup is a result of water conservation measures the Panama Canal Authority deployed in late July due to drought. West Coast ports saw a decrease of 38.3% in July trade, and top East and Gulf Coast ports processed an increase of 46.4%.

Persons: Luis Acosta, Max, Adil Ashiq, Ricaurte Vásquez Morales, Ashiq, Descartes, Stephen Lamar Organizations: Afp, Getty, Panama Canal Authority, Labs, Planet Labs, PCA, Port, MarineTraffic, American Apparel & Footwear Association Locations: Panama, Americas, Panama City, Gulf, East Coast, U.S, Pacific, Port of Balboa, Port of Savannah, North America, Gatun, Coast, West Coast

☆ Retailers are preparing for a discount heavy, down holiday season: CNBC survey
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Many retailers are still drawing down inventories now as peak season for orders begins. Based on the concerns about cutbacks by consumers, 77% of all items being ordered this holiday season are middle-price point items, including jackets. Traditionally, retail sector orders for peak season items are placed in late winter, or early spring. Trucking, ground, rail profit hits For ground logistical firms, rail companies, and short-haul trucking, moving holiday products during peak season is a lucrative and critical time of year for making money. The largest subgroup of survey respondents who predict placing higher freight orders (42%) pegged the increase in a range of 6%-10%.

Persons: Patrick T, Cleary, Stephen Lamar, Jon Gold Organizations: Fallon, Bloomberg, Getty, CNBC Supply Chain Survey, Target, Walmart, CNBC, American Apparel & Footwear Association, American Footwear and Apparel Association, National Retail Federation, Council of Supply Chain Management, United National Consumer Suppliers, CNBC Fed Survey, Wall Street, Survey, Retailers, Chain, Labor Locations: West Coast, West

☆ Inflation's inventory gluts are here to stay and will hit the bottom line in weaker economy: CNBC Supply Chain Survey
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Lori Ann Larocco | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

But uncertainty about inventory management is significant, with almost one-quarter (23%) of supply chain managers saying they are not sure when gluts will be worked off. The supply chain pressures will be among the factors that weigh on quarterly numbers. Manufacturing orders and the economic outlook Recent data on manufacturing has shown a deterioration in the economy, with the ISM Manufacturing index in contraction level based on March data released this week. "This survey confirms that we remain in an era of serious supply chain cost-to-serve challenges," Baxa said. FreightWaves and ITS Logistics are CNBC Supply Chain Heat Map data providers.

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