After showing a rise for two consecutive months, production in the Spanish textile industry fell by 5.4 per cent year-on-year in June 2013. In April and May this year, the Spanish textile industry showed a 17.9 per cent year-on-year and 2.4 per cent year-on-year rise in production respectively.

Among the textile subsectors, the biggest increase in production was recorded in the manufacturing of fur articles which increased by 22.7 per cent year-on-year, followed by yarn production, which grew by 3.4 per cent, while readymade garment (except fur) increased by 0.6 per cent. 

The decline in Spanish textile industry production is in line with the general decline of 4.6 per cent observed in overall Spanish industrial production in June 2013. Spain is an important manufacturer of textile machinery. The Spanish textile machinery industry has flourished with a structure of small and medium sized companies. Though Spain is a supplier of reliable and good quality textile machinery, it is facing tough competition from other European countries as well as from Asia.

The Spanish textile industry recorded a fall of 0.1 per cent in the month of June compared to 0.6 per cent increase in the month of May 2013. In fact, in June 2013, Spain’s textile export prices dipped for the first time since January 2010. Production of knitted or crocheted garments decreased by 5.6 per cent year-on-year, while textile finishing activity declined by 4.1 per cent.