Govt making efforts to promote exports

RSS

KATHMANDU, Feb. 28: Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Mahesh Lal Pradhan inaugurated the 'leather products and Footwear Exhibition-2003' here today. The main theme of the exhibition is 'Let's use domestic products'.

Various leather goods, shoes, bags and other such items manufactured in the country have been kept at the three-day exhibition organised for the first time by the Leather Goods and Footwear Manufacturers' Association.

Although there is an annual demand for 3 million pairs of shoes in Nepal, only 1.2 million pairs (or 40 per cent) are manufactured by the domestic industries and the rest is imported from abroad.
On the occasion, the participants complained of the lack of development of new shoe manufacturing technology in the country, the shortage of skilled hands, smuggling of leather products because of the open border with India and allied problems for the inability of the leather industry to take off in Nepal.
Inaugurating the exhibition, Minister Pradhan said the present government was making efforts to promoting the use of domestic products and to increase export of indigenous products.

Although the present economic situation of the country is very weak, the government is ready to go hand in hand with the industrialists and businessmen concerned for revitalising the economy, he said, adding that special attention would be observed to dissuade illegal trade.

On the occasion, he gave away letters of commendation to various manufacturers and businessmen and also observed the exhibition.

President of the Leather Shoes and Products Manufacturers' Association Birat Thapa demanded that the government should give special priority to the leather industries as it has been providing employment to the people of the economically-deprived communities.

The third vice-president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) Chandi Raj Dhakal, president of Nepal Handicrafts Industries Association Kalyan Krishna Tamrakar, former president of the association Surendra Prasad Dahal, general secretary Himnath Oli and convenor of the organisation Rabin Shrestha also spoke on the challenges facing the leather industries in Nepal.