Drawbacks in Agra Footwear Industry

Abstract

Agra, India's most diverse as well as most tightly knit footwear cluster is a prime example of an artisanally rooted, low caste cluster with predominantly cottage/small scale manufacturers. It was specialized in cheap hand made build up shoes. Agra is characterized by a caste based artisanal community that makes and a traders community that sale. The shoe industry in Agra is characterized by an abundance of highly skilled workers and concentration of necessary ancillary units. In addition Agra has a well developed whole sale market both for raw materials and shoes. The ancillary factories also exist for the production of leather board, microcellular rubber sheet (MCR), EVA sheets, shoe lasts, PVC, TPR, PU unit sole, air mixed PVC sole and footwear tools, equipments and machines. The rapid changes that have taken place by a way of technological development, transformation of specialized skills, organizational improvements on one hand and tremendous changes in demand for variety of shoes both in domestic and international markets on other hand, were responsible for the growth of this industry in Agra.