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Footwear exports target ‘long shot’
The footwear industry will find it difficult to meet its export target this year because large orders have dried up in the aftermath of the global economic crisis, insiders say.
In the first seven months of this year, the industry exported US$2.45 billion worth of goods, a decline of 8.8 per cent compared with the same period last year. To achieve the 2009 export target, enterprises must achieve a monthly export turnover of $420 million in the remaining months.
Most small and medium enterprises in the industry have failed to land big orders and contracts from foreign buyers this year.
According to the Viet Nam Leather and Footwear Association, big factories are more likely to get large orders because of their long established trade ties with traditional markets, including EU and Japan.
The association said enterprises needed to co-operate with other companies to establish production chains for making high quality, competitive footwear in large quantities to attract domestic and foreign buyers.
Shoe enterprises should also take maximum advantage of four international fairs and three national exhibitions that would be held from now until the end of this year to promote local brands, the Dau Tu (Viet Nam Investment Review) said in an analysis published on Wednesday.
It noted that the association planned to send 20 teams abroad this year to survey markets in the EU, North America and Eastern Europe, including Russia.
The funding for trade promotion activities nationwide has been doubled this year, creating favourable conditions for footwear factories to find new markets and expand existing ones, industrial experts have said.
Footwear companies have also expressed concern about the supply of raw materials for their factories.
vietnamnews
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