A positive trend in production and a drop in imports are trends in the Russian shoe market.

The first quarter of 2016 turned out to be more favorable for the production of footwear and leather in Russia, especially against the background of the negative dynamics of Russian footwear production in 2015. At the same time, the volume of imports of footwear continues to decline. Over the past two years (2014 and 2015), the volume of imports of footwear in Russia has decreased by 43%, - say experts of the Russian Union of Leatherworkers and Shoemakers.

Analysts at the “Russian Union of Tanners and Shoemakers” note that for the Russian leather and footwear industry, the 2015 year was much more difficult than the crisis 2014 year. The main reason is the lack of credit financing for the industry in the first three to four months of the year, including on loan agreements already concluded (after raising the key rate, depreciating the ruble, suspending the activities of a number of banks and classifying light industry as a high-risk industry).

Only at the end of April 2015, the allocation of funds to the enterprises of the industry began, moreover, according to the underestimated liquidity ratios of enterprises. Given that the industry is seasonal, many companies found themselves in a difficult situation, a number of enterprises were on the verge of bankruptcy, and the suppliers of the State Defense Order also had a difficult situation. The Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia had to "manually" work with banks, helping shoe and leather enterprises to receive funds.

In addition to the lack of credit and a high interest rate, RSKO experts also refer to the continuing negative decline in consumer demand as external negative factors. As evidenced by the decline in imports and production.

Shoe imports decreased in 2015 by 20% (to 206,8 million pairs), shoe production also decreased by 10,7%. At the same time, over two years (2014 and 2015 years), imports of shoes decreased by almost 43%).

Nevertheless, in the second half of 2015, despite the difficulties with financing, the industry nevertheless took the chance of import substitution, and the growth rate of production increased markedly. If in the first quarter of 2015, the decrease in shoe production amounted to 22,1%, including for children's shoes - 16,3%, then by the end of the year it was possible to reduce this drop to 11,6%, including shoes with leather upper by 7,1%.

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A slight increase in production was outlined for children's shoes - 0,6% (in November, the growth rate was 117,8%, in December - 102,9%). 

For chrome leather, the growth rate in November was 122,1%, in December - 113,2%. Leather production decreased by 11,5% in general and amounted to 2183,0 million sq. M. dm, including the production of split leather (the second layer of leather) increased by 19,1%. In the first quarter of 2016, the production volume almost doubled.

In the manufacture of leather goods there was a slight increase - 0,6%.

According to the experts of "RSKO", an increase in the production of leather and shoes became possible also due to the preservation of the raw material base as a result of the introduction of temporary bans on the export of leather goods.