US $ 227 million will lose the footwear industry of Mexico in 2020
According to statements by Alejandro Gómez Támez, executive president of CICEG -the Guanajuato Footwear Chamber-, the sector was notably affected by the global health crisis that in Mexico had a strong impact on different orders.
The state with the highest production of footwear is Guanajuato with an average of 150 million pairs per year of the total 250 million that are manufactured, which means 72% of the national production.
From February to August 2020, the loss of formal jobs has been 15,000 positions, which went from 65,000 to 50,000.
The whole of this industry, including the informal and the supply sector, is estimated to employ a total of 180 thousand employees.
The national production of footwear during 2020 compared to 2019 is estimated to be reduced by 20%, which implies going from 250 million annually to 200 million pairs. In terms of added value, the decrease in this volume projects a billing loss of 5 billion pesos, which represents some US $ 227 million.
In industrial media, they pointed out that the sector was not considered a priority by the respective governments during the pandemic, therefore the restart of its activities was very slow and financial assistance was very scarce. Added to this is the persistence of footwear imports that continue to gain ground, along with under-invoicing and dumping practices. This phenomenon has reduced the presence of national products due to the impossibility of competing on equal terms.
According to experts, the main recommendation for footwear manufacturers in Mexico is to work steadily on exports, because national consumption does not guarantee a speedy recovery.
In this regard, the Mexican industry is recognized and has good possibilities in the markets of the North -United States and Canada- and Central America, where it is a natural and historical supplier of footwear, as well as other markets in the world.
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