Apparel exports to the US were down 0.3% during the first nine months this year compared to the same period last year. According to a report in El Caribe based on data from the US Department of Commerce, these exports totalled US$1.584 billion from January-September 2003, down from US$1.589 billion for the same period in 2002. These numbers represent a drastic change from the export trend at the start of the year, as the first half of the year saw an increase of 4.2%. Free zone manufacturers interviewed by the newspaper explained that the US has become a volatile client, reflecting the uncertainties in that country, especially the war in Iraq. Arturo Peguero, president of the Dominican Association of Free Zones, says that original forecasts for a good year, as a result of January’s figures, have done a turn-around. Peguero also points to the menace of growth of Chinese exports, which this year have risen 50%. The DR has dropped to eighth spot in apparel exports to the US. The leading exporters in the garment industry are China, Mexico, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Honduras, Indonesia and India.