Bangladesh earned $1.21 billion from export of leather and leather goods in 2015-16 fiscal, which was 7.28 per cent higher than that of 2014-15.The country’s footwear industry recorded 27 percent growth in four years, from 2012 to 2015, a research report of the Leather Goods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB) revealed.In 2014-15 fiscal, Bangladesh exported leather and leather goods worth $1.13 billion against $1.12 billion in the previous fiscal year, making it the second highest contributor to the national exports after apparel.The footwear export is now set to be the next to the ready-made garment (RMG) sector of the country. Bangladesh has the potential to emerge as the next footwear manufacturing hub attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the report said.Bangladesh’s footwear industry shares 3 percent of the global leather market in volume while 95 percent of its output is exported.Apex Footwear, Jennys Shoes, Bay Footwear, Leatherex and Bata Shoe are leading exporters of footwear.Companies like Orion, Crescent and others have also joined the industry with young and industrious workforce.The LFMEAB report said Japan and Germany are now the biggest markets for Bangladeshi footwear which is also exported to Italy, the UK, France, Belgium, the USA, Sweden, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Canada and Korea.
