Factory outbreaks may cut Aug-Dec exports by B300 bn - shippers

Factory outbreaks may cut Aug-Dec exports by B300 bn - shippers

Key exports could decrease by as much as 300 billion baht in the remaining months of the year if the spread of Covid-19 infections continues at factories, the country’s exporters' group said on Tuesday.

"The manufacturing sector has been affected a lot more by this outbreak... and exports are in the supply chain," Chaichan Chareonsuk, chairman of the Thai National Shippers' Council, told a press briefing.

Exports, a rare key bright spot in the economy, might grow by just 7% this year if the outbreak cannot be contained, he added, below the group's growth target of 10%.

In the first half of 2021, exports rose 15.5% from a year earlier.

However, workers in over 1,500 factories have been infected with Cobif-19, according to Mr Chaichan.

Four key labour-intensive exporting industries -- food, electronic parts, auto parts and textiles -- have been particularly hit, Mr Chaichan said, with an expected loss of 200-300 billion baht in the remaining months of the year.

With that loss, overall exports will grow just 7% this year, or $19.2 billion a month, he said, while there is demand for Thai goods worth $22.2 billion-$23.0 billion a month. "Although there are already orders, we can't get them," he said.

"Last month, exporters were concerned about Covid. But right now, they are stressed.”.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT (10)