Footwear industry says it lost export orders worth $1 bn due to Covid-19

Says it may require support from government in the form of reduction in GST, especially for footwear priced above Rs 1,000

The footwear industry has lost export orders worth about $1 billion due to Covid-19 and may require support from the government in the form of reduction in GST, especially for footwear priced above Rs 1,000, to help improve demand. Retailers and suppliers alike must now deploy more targeted and thoughtful approaches to storage space and assortment, as many more consumers would migrate to online shopping, the industry said.

Aqeel Ahmed, chairman, Council For Leather Exports, confirmed that huge cancellations saw the industry lose around $1 billion worth of export orders. He added that there has been no work during the past