Although clothing and car wiring harnesses continue to lead, the number of types of goods exported under the free zone regime has gone from ten in 2008 to 20 today.
Production and export of clothing and wiring harnesses are still the main goods produced and exported under free trade zone conditions, but now others have been added such as as cigars, edible oil, fruits, leather shoes, paper, cardboard, and manufactured leather covers for furniture.
Falls in sales of textiles, machinery and transport equipment accounted for the 6% annual contraction in manufacturing activity in May this year.
In the case of textiles, a reducicón of 8.7% in industrial production in May is attributed to lower production of knitted or crocheted fabrics, clothing and leather production. In the machinery and heavy equipment sector, which fell by 48%, a reduction in demand from the Mexican automotive industry is, according to Central Bank data, the reason for the poor performance.
In Nicaragua a proposal has been made to create a training center to improve the labor performance in free zones and attract more foreign investment to the sector.
In order to improve employees skills and increase the productivity and competitiveness of enterprises, the National Commission of Free Zones (CNZF) is proposing the creation of a textile school, where ongoing training on production techniques would be provided for the sector.
The U.S. Undersecretary of Commerce stated that Nicaragua no longer needs tariff preferences for its textile industry.
Nicaragua's textile industry could lose tariff preferences in 2014, said an American official who believes that renewal is unnecessary .
"I think that this is an industry that could compete globally today and maintain its position in the market (...) with or without " those preferences, said Walter Bastian, U.S.
During 2012, free zone exports stood at $1.9038 billion, equivalent to a growth rate of 8.6%.
Information published by the Central Bank of Nicaragua (BCN):
In 2012, free zone exports stood at $1.9038 billion, equivalent to a growth rate of 8.6%.The sectors which participated the most in the absolute growth of exports from the free zone in relation to 2011 were chasis, which contributed $65 million (42.9% of total), fishing, $37.6 million (24.8%), textiles, $32.2 million (21.3%) and tobacco $23.1 million (15.3%), among others.
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