BUENOS AIRES, Feb 13 (NA) -- Amid a critical situation for the textile industry, which is currently operating at only 30% of its installed capacity, the president of the ProTejer Foundation, Luciano Galfione, countered criticisms regarding the high value of clothing in Argentina, pointing to the suffocating tax burden and the country's structural costs.
"Everything is expensive because producing and marketing is expensive," Galfione argued, rejecting the notion that manufacturers abuse a dominant position when borders are closed.
To illustrate the distortion, the case revealed by NA was discussed: a classic pair of jeans from a major brand costs around $50 in Chile or Mexico, but in Buenos Aires, it can reach up to $130.
"In Argentina, the problem is transversal to the entire economy. If we are not producing and clothing remains expensive and imported, who is the problem now?" Galfione concluded.
"The industrial sector represents only 10% of the total value of the ticket," he explained, adding, "These jeans are produced in Bangladesh; no Argentine or Chilean has touched them. If I remove the non-factory costs, those jeans would be worth $12."
"The problem is in the cost structure," detailed the head of ProTejer, breaking down what the consumer pays at the checkout:
- Taxes: They take 50% of the final price of the product.
- Financial Cost: Offering installments in Argentina has a cost of 30%, compared to the 3% rate worldwide.
- Logistics: Sending a truck from Catamarca to Buenos Aires costs the same as bringing a container by ship from China.
"The problem is the other 100 dollars needed to complete the price," Galfione stated.
Galfione harshly criticized the government's policy of facilitating imports through online platforms ("door to door") by removing taxes, while maintaining tax pressure on those who generate local employment.
"If they remove taxes from what comes from abroad and charge a bunch of things to those who produce in Argentina, it ends up being much more expensive," he emphasized.
NA journalist Mariano Fernández raised the contradiction of why under Alberto Fernández's management—with a closed market—clothing prices rose 32% above inflation, while with Javier Milei's import opening, prices fell 30%.
Today, 7 out of 10 machines are idle.
