The president of the Association of Furniture and Mattress Producers (Asonaimco) said the sector is in a state of emergency, El Caribe newspaper reports. Manir Slaiman spoke at the opening of the National Furniture Fair at the Feria Ganadera yesterday. He said the sector has been affected by foreign imports, lack of access to borrowing and a decline in consumer purchases. He said sales are down 50% and every day more furniture manufacturers close shop. He said from March 1998 to March 2000, 3,000 small factories closed, affecting 60,000 employees. Slaiman said the country imported RD$1.2 billion in foreign furniture last year, while exports were only RD$60 million.
