UP govt to invest Rs 8,000 crore in Agra, Kanpur leather footwear parks

Uttar Pradesh is set to invest Rs 8,000 crore in two major leather footwear parks coming up in Agra and Kanpur, aiming to modernise the sector and ramp up exports.

 

The parks, covering a combined 300 acres, will be developed with support from the central government. According to senior officials, land has already been identified for the projects.

 

“These parks will drive growth in the leather industry and significantly boost exports from UP,” said a senior state official.

 

Agra and Kanpur already host a large concentration of leather and leather goods units, primarily in the micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSME) sector. However, most of these businesses lack access to modern technology and marketing tools needed to compete globally.

 

The new parks will provide state-of-the-art manufacturing environment to help these units upgrade processes and scale production of footwear, apparel, and other leather products. 

 

The initiative also seeks to attract domestic and international investors across the leather value chain.

 

To support this, the Yogi Adityanath government is drafting a new leather and footwear policy, aiming to double the state's leather industry in five years. The policy will align with initiatives outlined in the Union Budget 2025–26.

 

India aims to raise leather and footwear exports from $5 billion to $50 billion by 2030. The proposed UP policy will focus on tapping export markets in Africa, Latin America, West Asia, the US, and Europe.

 

It will also promote leather manufacturing in Kanpur, Agra, Unnao, and Noida, with a focus on integrated clusters and infrastructure.

 

The Kanpur–Unnao leather cluster currently generates Rs 12,000 crore annually and exports to West Asia, Europe, China, and Iran. Kanpur’s 250 tanneries account for about half of India’s leather output and supply belts, holsters, saddles, and boots for security forces. Agra remains a key hub for leather footwear.

 

Despite its scale, the UP leather sector continues to face environmental and ecological challenges —  issues the new parks and policy reforms are designed to address.