UP taps leather units in China, Brazil for investments

Buoyed by the decision of a German footwear firm to shift production from China to Uttar Pradesh, the state government on Sunday said it was in touch with "a few more" leather units in China and Brazil to bring them to the state.

"There are a few more leather units in China and Brazil with which the Uttar Pradesh government is in touch," the state's MSME, Investment and Export and Textile Minister Sidharth Nath Singh said.

His remarks came in the wake of the decision by Casa Everz GmbH to shift from China to Uttar Pradesh in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I welcome it (the decision) and congratulate my MSME team for helping in bringing Von Wellx German shoe brand... from China to UP. This will give employment to 10,000 people and also fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call of attracting investments moving away from China," Singh told PTI.

He further said Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is of the view that such an environment should be created where entrepreneurs can say that Uttar Pradesh is the best state for investment.

Casa Everz GmbH, the owner of Germany-based healthy footwear brand Von Wellx, will be shifting its entire shoe production of over three million pairs annually in China to India with an initial investment of Rs 110 crore.

Hit by the coronavirus crisis, which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, companies globally are looking for other geographies to move their operations out from China.