Surge in PU production helped Iran become shoe exporter
A surge in the local production of polyurethane (PU) has helped Iran to turn into a net exporter of shoes and footwear.
“We used to import polyurethane some three years ago, but we are now a PU exporter,” said deputy industry minister Mohammad Mehdi Baradaran on Tuesday as he was visiting the 11th edition of the Exhibition of Footwear, Bag & Leather, known as Iran MPEX 2024.
Baradaran said shoe exports from Iran had reached $156 million in the year to March, adding, however, that exports are much higher than figures reported by the Iranian customs office as many shipments are sold in local currencies to customers from neighboring countries like Iraq.
Rasul Shajari, a major producer of shoes in the capital Tehran, said that Iran had saved up to $300 million in hard currency spending per year by increasing its local production of PU and cutting back on imports.
Shajari said products that use Iranian-made PU shoe soles are currently sold to major markets like Turkey.
Ali Lashkari, a member of Iran’s Association of Footwear Industries, said that Iran produces up to 270 million pairs of shoes per year although international estimates put the figure at around 176 million pairs.
“If the real figures are registered, Iran would be the 9th largest shoe producer in the world below Bangladesh and above Mexico in the ranking,” said Lashkari as he discussed reports showing that Iran is currently the world’s 12th largest shoe manufacturer.
Other sources said Iran can increase its annual shoe output to 400 million pairs which will further boost jobs in an industry that has employed half a million people.
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