Shoe exports up 32% in eight months
A deputy industry minister highlighted the significant potential of Iran’s shoe industry, noting a 32% increase in the value of footwear exports over the past eight months compared to the same period last year.
On the sidelines of Iran’s largest shoe industry exhibition, Ebrahim Sheikh, the deputy of general industries at the Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade, announced that 160 million pairs of shoes were produced in the country during the eight-month period, ISNA reported.
In the first eight months of the previous year, various types of machine-made shoes worth $58 million were exported to other countries, he said, noting that the figure reached $78 million in the same period this year, marking a 32% growth in export value.
Sheikh pointed out that there are 8,337 shoe production units in the country. Last year, 158.5 million pairs of shoes were produced in the first eight months, which increased to 160 million pairs this year.
$100m target for exports
The deputy minister stated that the nominal production capacity of shoes in the country is 300 million pairs, emphasizing that the shoe industry has substantial potential, and the ministry is prepared to increase the export value of the product to $100 million annually.
He added that 115,000 people are directly employed in the shoe industry, with 35,000 working in industrial units and 80,000 in commercial units.
Meanwhile, Abdolhossein Khosropanah, secretary of the General Culture Council of Iran, highlighted the development of the footwear industry, particularly through the efforts of the Qom Machine-Made Shoe Association.
Khosropanah described the establishment of a shoe vocational school and the development of shoe-related academic programs in technical and vocational schools as significant steps toward the growth of the machine-made shoe industry.
He suggested that the next step could be the establishment of a shoe university, similar to universities dedicated to automotive and home appliance industries.
He emphasized that while Iran has achieved a national governance model for shoe production, the work is not complete.
“The General Culture Council of Iran, which has approved science and technology documents, will also address the needs of the shoe industry.”
The governance model for shoe production will be realized through the efforts of industrialists and officials, with much of this potential already being realized.
Khosropanah called for identifying and resolving obstacles faced by shoe producers, noting that the government is responsible for addressing such challenges.
One major issue is providing raw materials, he said, proposing the establishment of a shoe science and technology park, with the help of universities, to produce necessary raw materials domestically.
He expressed hope that the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance would support producers in areas such as hard currency, exports, and customs.