• Lack of payments for garments exported in Feb. discussed 
• Sudden cancellation of orders also figured in discussion  

A number of issues that have arisen in the apparel industry in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic were discussed at a meeting of the Presidential Task Force on Continuous Supply, Operation and Coordination of Essential Services, headed by Basil Rajapaksa, held yesterday.

The matters discussed included lack of payments received from some firms in the international market for garments exported since February, the sudden cancellation of some orders for garments currently being manufactured, and the problems and challenges exporters will face during the next quarter given the prevailing situation.

Several ministers and officials were present at the meeting, while the Country Representative of the European Union Thorsten Bargrfrede, Chief of Economic Affairs at the US Embassy in Colombo Susan Walke, and leading industrialists in the apparel and export sector also participated in the discussion. 

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