Sri Lanka Footwear & Leather Industry Show Remarkable Growth. Trade Show from 5 to 7 November 2010

01st November 2010, www.dailynews.lk, By Indunil Hewage

The Sri Lankan footwear industry has recorded a remarkable growth last year and a positive growth is also expected in the industry during this year. “More new players are coming to the footwear industry and many factories are opening in the face of existing healthy environment in the country.

More opportunities will be created in the Northern and Eastern areas in the future with the further developments in the industry,” Footwear Advisory Chairman Ranjith Hettiarachchi said. He said the Sri Lankan footwear industry has reached international level and is capable of fulfilling the local footwear requirements now.

Sri Lanka has a limited market and identifies new markets and foreign buyers for exporting Sri Lankan footwear products.

Arrangements have been made by authorities to have a safety net to protect the industry from cheap imported footwear coming from various countries to Sri Lanka.

“The lack of operating staff and leather has hampered the growth of the industry. The current workforce in the footwear sector is around 30,000 and the industry is engaged in importing leather from Chennai, India. In addition to that, raw material and machinery can be imported duty free to Sri Lanka now. This shows the platform has been made to develop the footwear industry similar to the international footwear market,” Hettiarachchi said.

A Sri Lankan delegation was sent to China recently with the assistance of the Export Development Board to obtain an idea about technical improvements in the footwear industry in China.

Earlier, two batches comprising Sri Lankan footwear designers and technicians underwent training at the Footwear Design and Development Institute in India with the assistance of the Industry and Commerce Ministry. “We are at the discussion level to set up training centres in the country and are in the planning stage to draw a five year master plan for the industry.

Having understood the commercial value of the footwear industry, ‘Footwear and Leather Fair 2010’ from November 5 to 7, will be held at the BMICH.

Industry and Commerce Ministry, Industrial Development Board and Sri Lanka Footwear and Leather Products Manufactures Association are organizing this. A special area has been reserved at the fair to display footwear and leather merchandise in terms of quality and designs capability.