Cambodia to set up foot-wear manufacturers association this year

PHNOM PENH, May 12 (Xinhua)--Cambodia’s manufacturers have been preparing to establish a foot-wear manufacturers association sometimes this year to cope with the rapid growth in this industry, said officials on Thursday.

During a meeting with Cambodian minister of commerce Cham Prasidh, Van Sou Ieng, president of Garment Manufacturers Association of Cambodia, said that Cambodia’s food-wear manufacturers considered that the establishment of the association will be very important to have a unified voice.

“With the association, they can have a say with the government and will be easier for them to negotiate with buyers,” he said. “It will also build confidence among buyers.”

Currently, Cambodia has 36 foot-wears factories with 56,600 workers, according to the report from the commerce ministry.

The country had exported foot-wear products in the total value of 172 million U.S. dollars in 2010, up 55 percent compared to a year earlier. The markets are in the United States, Canada and Japan.

“I believe that footwear industry will be rapidly developed in the next few years in Cambodia,” said Van Sou Ieng. “We envisage that China and Russia are the potential markets for Cambodia to develop this industry.”

Cham Prasidh supported the plan for the association to cope with the rising growth of this industry, adding that just within the first quarter of this year, the country has exported foot-wear products worth of 65 million U.S. dollars.