The Secretary of the Directorate General of Small and Medium Industries at the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin), Riefky Yuswandi, announced that the local footwear industry is significantly enhancing Indonesia's economic position on the global stage. “As of the second quarter of 2024, the national footwear industry has achieved a growth rate of 3.92% compared to the same period last year,” Riefky stated during the Indonesia Footwear Creative Competition (IFCC) held in Surabaya, East Java. He noted that the World Footwear Yearbook 2023 ranked Indonesia among the top five footwear-producing countries, with a production of 807 million pairs last year. Notably, around 445 million pairs, or 55.4% of the total production, were exported, reflecting the productivity and capability of local labor and industries.
Looking ahead, Riefky projected that footwear exports in 2024 would surpass the previous year's total of USD 6.4 billion, with export values already reaching USD 3.7 billion from January to June. Despite the large export market, Riefky highlighted that domestic consumption remains underwhelming, with only 362 million pairs sold domestically, which is minimal considering Indonesia's population exceeds 282 million. This equates to just one or two pairs per person, while the average consumer typically owns two pairs. He emphasized the need for greater domestic market exploration through innovation and effective execution, which could raise current consumption levels from 1.28 pairs per person annually. Riefky confirmed that Kemenperin is implementing a machinery restructuring program to support local creative industries, offering reimbursement opportunities of 25% for imported machines and 40% for local machines. Additionally, the Indonesian Footwear Creative Competition (IFCC), in collaboration with universities, aims to foster synergies among designers, photographers, and videographers within the footwear industry, showcasing a total of 626 entries across various categories this year.
