The Garment Association of Nepal said last week that sales in the US, where about 85 percent of Nepali readymade garments are sold, were down by almost five percent between January and April 2001. April sales went down by 33 percent, compared to sales the same month a year ago. Last April Nepal sold readymades worth $74.6 million in the United States, while this year's sales totalled $70.1 million. Total export earnings from garments in 2000 was $178 million. The industry is not worried as much by this year's downslide as it is about the declining bulk orders. Industry blames the lack of government support to offset its added costs of importing raw material and back-freighting the finished product as one factor affecting its competitiveness. Another reason for the slowdown in exports is the opening of the US markets to readymade garments from sub-Saharan African countries and Caribbean states. The sale of garments up to mid-March 2001 was Rs 9.30 billion. Readymade garments sales may drop further after US import quotas are phased out when the World Trade Organisation regime takes effect 2005.