With lower production, employment is at risk
At the EXPOCUC fair held in early April in Cúcuta, exhibitors from Norte de Santander considered the beginning of the year as very weak in terms of sales. This affected production, which saw a retraction of 50% to 70% in 2024 compared to 2023 figures.
Freddy Santander, president of the Corporation of Footwear and Similar Industrialists (CORPOINCAL), stated that stores have stock from the previous year and are impacted by the decline in consumption. This situation affects manufacturing activity and, in turn, employment. He also added that the sector in Cúcuta is one of the main creators of jobs.
Some exhibitors at the fair mentioned that they had implemented reduced work hours or layoffs, while production showed a decline.