The first event is due to take place at the India Expo Centre, Expo XXI, Greater Noida close to New Delhi from May 8-10.
The organisers are launching the exhibition with the support of the Indian Footwear Components Manufacturers Association (IFCOMA) and the Council for Leather Exports (CLE). A total of 76 exhibitors had signed up to the event as of March 24.
‘A short while ago IFCOMA approached us pointing that their members offered a superb range of products but not too many buyers knew about them. It was not only international buyers they are looking for but a central pillar of the new show is to introduce them to their domestic market’, said Michael Duck, director, APLF Ltd. ‘We believe that India’s footwear and related industries are due for a very substantial growth both domestically and in exports. Present conditions in the global economy may delay that a bit, but, we take the long-term view’, he added.
India produces about 2,065 million pairs of shoes per annum of which 909 million contain leather. Despite the recession the Indian footwear sector is still showing growth. The sector grew by 7.7% comparing April-November 2007 with the same period in 2008 in value and was worth $1.01 billion. The Indians have set themselves a very ambitious target of achieving export targets of $7 billion in the years 2010-2011.
