Shoes are exported to 70 countries from Konya, one of the shoe production centers of Turkiye.
Konya has a say in the shoe industry as well as the agricultural machinery and automotive spare parts industry. A significant part of the shoes produced in the city are exported to all over the world.
Konya Shoemakers Chamber President Muhammet Acar told the AA correspondent that 15 thousand people are employed in the shoe industry in Konya and the number is gradually increasing.
Stating that although there is a shortage of qualified personnel in the sector, shoemaking vocational high schools and universities are trying to fill the personnel gap with students graduating from the shoe design department, Acar stated that the students trained here are not left unemployed and are quickly employed in the sector.
Pointing out that shoe exports from Konya abroad in the last 3 years have approached $1 billion, Acar said:
“Turkiye’s shoe exports in 2020 are $830 million, $1 billion 80 million in 2021, $1 billion 350 million in 2022, $1.2 billion in 2023. Konya shoe industry alone accounts for 40% of Turkiye’s shoe exports. Some of the shoes produced in Konya are produced with the patents of Istanbul companies and exported to the world via Istanbul. We export to 70 countries. We have around 600-650 production workshops and factories in Aykent Shoemakers Industrial Site in Konya. 15 thousand people are employed in these workplaces.”
Acar noted that world-renowned German, Italian and French shoe brands also produce shoes in factories in Konya.
Source: AA / Prepared by Irem Yildiz