India eyes higher footwear exports

EU's anti-dumping duty on Chinese, Vietnamese products acts as trigger.

The commerce ministry is working on an action plan to increase the country's footwear exports in order to take advantage of a recent decision by the European Union to impose anti-dumping duty on footwear from China and Vietnam.

The EU had on October 5 imposed anti-dumping duties of 9.7 per cent and 16.5 per cent on Chinese leather footwear and of 10 per cent on similar products from Vietnam. The duties will remain in force for two years.

"The anti-dumping duties on Chinese and Vietnamese footwear has created a huge opportunity for India. Nearly 63 per cent of our leather footwear exports is to the European Union, while just 12 per cent of the exports is to the US, which is the fastest growing market in the world. We need to focus on this market and on mass consumption of footwear, which has been China's strength," Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said. India mostly caters to the $15-20 segment of footwear, while China focuses on the $4-8 market, he said.