Lanka should join hands with India to promote footwear

Lumbini Edirisinghe

India is the second largest manufacturer of footwear in the world and this is a stepping stone for local entrepreneurs to join hands with the Indian footwear industry, said chairman, Footwear Advisory Council, Ministry of Industrial Development Rangith Hettiarachchy.

He was speaking at the Buyer Seller meet cum exhibition of Footwear components in Sri Lanka organized by the Indian Footwear Components Manufacturing Association (IFCOMA) and Council for Leather Exports, India (CLE) yesterday.

India has already made strides in the footwear industry with the latest technology and this is a great opportunity for local entrepreneurs, he said.

“Our local potential market is 50 million pairs for a year and rubber slippers and beach slippers are in great demand in the local market.

If we can develop our footwear industry and specialize in shoe production it would be an opportunity for small and medium entrepreneurs.

With these developments and quality we can explore the European market and South Asian market at the same time”, he added.

“We need to have the latest technology for the development of the industry. If we are equipped with all the international requirements there’s nothing to worry about the global economical melt down ,” he said.

Our main target is to expand the local market with the latest technology, which we have not explored as yet.

Another objective is to expand our footwear industry in the liberated areas in Sri Lanka.

There is a private public partnership to set up a training centre and the Government has allocated the funds for the purpose.

We hope to set up the training centre this month. Today the industry is education based.

The Indian government is willing to assist the footwear industry through the Indian High Commission. The Government has to assist in the implementation of the industry.

“The Indian Footwear Components Manufacturing Association (IFCOMA) and Council for Leather Exports, India (CLE) are conducting the second Buyer Seller meet cum exhibition of Footwear components in Sri Lanka from March 2-3 at the Galle Face Hotel.