Agra footwear units need technology

A leather park with a design studio would be ideal for the sector.

The footwear exporters of Agra contribute around 27 per cent of the total Indian exports from the sector. In terms of their infrastructure development, however, the leather industry of this town is decades behind its competitors.

The much-publicised footwear components park project has already been shutdown due to unavailability of adequate land. The leather park announced by the state government is also facing the same fate. The twin developments have wiped out the possibility of foreign investors entering the industry.

The local footwear exporters have been raising their demand for the revival of the Footwear Components Park in the Eleventh Five-Year Plan, but the prospects for its revival appear dim.

Puran Dawar, local footwear exporter and Managing Director, Agra Footwear Infrastructure Development Company Ltd said the exporters had drawn the government’s attention towards the shutting down of the project.

Recently, the Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh was again presented with a draft for infrastructure development projects required by the footwear industry.

As an alternative to the footwear components park, he said, the state government has suggested an integrated leather park project, but it was yet to materialise.

In the meantime, he said, the footwear industry has taken the initiative to attract foreign investors to infuse technology and money directly into the already established export units, which will help the industry to achieve the targeted footwear exports of $4 billion during the Eleventh Five-Year plan.

Industry sources claimed the footwear exporters of the town had received more business offers than yesteryears and the total volume of international business conducted by Agra footwear exporters had been around $320 million.

AS Rana, president, Agra Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Chamber (AFMEC), said the local industry was not lacking in business skills, but technologically, they were still decades behind their competitors. The concept of global benchmarking and brand promotion was yet to catch up with the Agra exporters.

To make the Agra footwear industry aware of the continuing innovations in the leather sector across the globe, while interacting with the international buyers, he said, AFMEC has organised an international trade fair on November 8 and 9. The fair has attracted global industry majors into displaying their footwear manufacturing and design technology in Agra.

Over 200 local and foreign companies engaged in leather production have displayed their wares in the trade fair, which is expected to attract over 10, 000 visitors and entrepreneurs.

This will enable the footwear exporters to ponder on the possibilities of incorporating the new technology into their present setup. The real need was still, an integrated leather park with a design studio, as had been promised by the central government, he said.