\n Lesotho is seeking new textile buyers in Asia and beyond after being hit by tariff uncertainty under U.S. President Donald Trump.\n <\/p>\n
\n The country has already secured business from neighbouring South Africa, with the Southern African Customs Union, which includes Botswana, Eswatini, Namibia, and South Africa, emerging as a priority market, Bloomberg<\/a> reported.\n <\/p>\n \n After a three-month pause, U.S. levies were lowered to 15%. While an improvement, \u201cit is not good enough for our textile industry,\u201d Trade Minister Mokhethi Shelile said, warning that buyers may shift to competitors like Eswatini and Kenya, whose goods face only 10% duties.\n <\/p>\n \n Textiles remain Lesotho\u2019s largest private employer, supporting 12,000 direct and 40,000 indirect jobs, with major U.S. buyers including Walmart, JCPenney, and Levi Strauss.\n <\/p>\n \n The government is pushing for tariffs of 10% or less and hopes for further talks with the U.S. Trade Representative as it diversifies beyond its main export market.\n <\/p>\n Like Lesotho, South Africa seeks new markets<\/p>\n