Officials of Leather Footwear and Goods Manufacturers´ Association argued that quality of locally made branded footwear is at par with the imported ones. [break]
“Local production meets around 45 percent of the total demand; and it is growing every year,” Manoj Kumar Shrestha, secretary of the association, said on the sidelines of the 8th Leather Goods and Footwear Expo 2011 that kicked off at the City Hall on Tuesday.
Shrestha, who is also coordinator of the expo, said local companies were facing difficulty meeting market demand because of the lack of sufficient raw materials and skilled manpower.
Price of locally manufactured branded leather goods and footwear has increased by as much as 20 percent this year due to sharp rise in the price of raw materials that are sourced from China and India, according to the officials.
The six-day expo features a total of 53 stalls by 35 companies.
Hom Nath Upadhyay, president of the association, said the fair was organized to promote locally manufactured leather goods and footwear. “Response from visitors is quite encouraging. We are expecting turnover of Rs 10 million this year, up from last year´s Rs 7 million,” he added.
The expo has on display wide variety of footwear, bags, long coats, jackets and waistcoats among others. Price of shoes at the expo ranges from Rs 900 to Rs 5,000 per pair, while leather bags are priced between Rs 3,500 to Rs 8,000 per piece. Similarly, long coat costs in range of Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 per unit, while coats are priced between Rs 6,500 to Rs 8,500 per piece.
Participating companies in the fair are optimistic about better sales. Base Footwear, a major player in Nepal´s leather wear market, is showcasing new range of shoes in sports and formal segments. “We are expecting around 30 percent rise in sales as compared to last year,” Upadhyay, who is also the proprietor of Base Footwear, said.
Amar Raut, sales executive of Coseli shoes, said his company was planning to sell 1,500 pairs of shoes, up from last year´s 1,200, during the expo.
Participating companies are offering 10-15 percent discount during the expo.
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