About $110 million worth of footwear was exported in the past Iranian calendar year (ended March 20) showing a 5 percent decrease, ISNA quoted head of the Association of Managers and Experts of Iranian Shoe Industry, Ali Lashkari, as saying. “Shoe export statistics over the past 6 years show that the highest value of exports was recorded in the Persian year of 1390 (March 21, 2011-March 20, 2012) at $146 million, while the lowest value was registered last year,” the official noted. He referred to inadequate supply of alcohol, as an important raw material in shoe manufacturing, and increased transit duties imposed by the Iraqi government as the main reasons behind the recent reduction in shoe exports. Currently, Iraq, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan account for 80 percent of Iran’s footwear export markets, according to Lashkari, who added that China and Turkey are gradually taking over these markets.
