The ongoing elimination of the "Multi Fiber Agreement" agreement (created in 1974, and renewed several times since) at the end of 2004 and the surge in imports of cheap clothing coming from China were fatal for the Moroccan textile industry. The industry, which currently employs about 200,000 Moroccans, is facing the threat of wide-scale layoffs, all around the country.

<i>EMarrakech</i> reports that amongst the strongest signs of this profound crisis is the fact that textile factories that are being closed are not only being locked or evacuated but completely demolished. The latest example for this situation came from the Maarif industrial park, in Casablanca, where two hosiery factories SIB (Industrial Company of Hosiery) and Iboma (Hosiery Industry of the Maghreb), where the factories located, were simply 'shaved'.

© 2005 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)