The 13th edition of National Industrial Expo is all set to kick off at Bhrikutimandap Exhibition Hall in Kathmandu from Tuesday. 

Locally-made leather footwear predicts will be one of the major attractions at a week-long exhibition being organised by Footwear Manufacturers Association of Nepal. 

The expo will have 125 stalls showcasing party shoes, sports shoes and casual footwear, besides textiles made of natural fabrics. The expo will also display raw materials and equipment used to manufacture footwear products.

According to the organiser, the expo is aimed at conveying information about domestic products to potential buyers. “It will help promote the market,” read a statement issued by the organiser.

The expo also aims at make aware the manufacturers about the market trend and promoting healthy competition. 

The expo being organised under theme “Use of Domestic Products, the Basis for Self-reliance” will offer up to 15 percent discounts on footwear, and other special discounts on textile products. 

The organiser has expected more than 100,000 visitors.

According to the association, a total of 1,056 registered footwear manufacturers have been selling their products in the domestic market. An additional 500 are estimated to be operating without obtaining government permit.

Similarly, an estimated 500 small and medium enterprises have been manufacturing textile products made of woollen and natural fibres. The sectors have been providing employment to more than 250,000 people.

According to the association, the domestic footwear demand stands at 50 million pairs annually. “As a result of last year earthquakes, Indian blockade and open border with India, domestic products have been able to command just 42 percent of the market share currently, down from 60-65 percent in the past.”  

Lately, locally-manufactured footwear products have been gaining popularity. Considering this fact, the government, revising the Nepal Trade Integration Strategy 2016, has also included Nepali footwear among 12 domestic goods having high export potential.