KATHMANDU, Dec 24: Minister for Industry Som Prasad Pandey has said that the government will give priority to industries using locally available raw materials.
Inaugurating the 12th Footwear Expo 2015 and National Industrial Exhibition at Bhrikuti Mandap Exhibition Hall on Thursday, Minister Pandey said the government would provide necessary incentives to domestic industries so that they can compete with foreign brands present in the market.The seven-day event is organized by Footwear Manufacturer's Association of Nepal.
"The government is devising a plan to promote domestic goods and address woes of domestic industries," Pandey said, urging manufacturers to produce goods as per the need and taste of Nepali people.
Pandey also said the government would widen the gap between customs duty imposed on raw materials and finished products to promote locally produced goods.
In case of footwear products, the government has been levying up to 20 percent customs duty on raw materials and 25 percent on finished products.
Speaking at the program, Rabin Kumar Shrestha, president of Footwear Manufacturer's Association of Nepal urged the government to bring special packages for revival of footwear industry which has suffered a lot due to April earthquake and ongoing blockade. He also urged the government to introducing trainings and skill enrichment programs to produce trained hands for the footwear industry. "We have no option but to hire foreign workers as there is shortage of skilled manpower," added Shrestha.
There are altogether 105 stalls in the exhibition. Eighty stalls showcase different footwear products, while different varieties of apparels have been displayed in the remaining stalls.
According to the nation, there is a demand for 50 million pairs of footwear annually. Local companies meet around 65 percent of the demand.