Czech Republic imports less Chinese footwear
The Czech Republic imported fewer pairs of Chinese shoes in 2009, according to the Czech Footwear and Leather Producers Association (COKA).
The association claims imports from China were down by nearly one-third to 100 million pairs last year and believes the EU anti-dumping duties could have played a significant part in the decline. Prior to this, shoe imports from China had risen significantly for some years, jumping from 58.6 million pairs in 2005 to 143.6 million pairs in 2008.
Total shoe imports to the Czech Republic dropped from 161 million to 115 million pairs in 2009, while domestic shoe production fell from five million to 4.5 million pairs.
According to COKA, average shoe consumption in the Czech Republic is around four pairs per year. Prices range dramatically according to their origin, with the average price for shoes shipped from China at Kc45 ($2.36) in 2009 and the average pair shipped from Italy at Kc534.
