Kerala Infrastructure Development Corporation (Kinfra) is setting up a footwear park in Kozhikode in association with the footwear cluster community under the Centre’s Mega Leather Cluster Scheme.

The corporation has identified 30 acres in Ramanattukara for the project, which is expected to be completed in two years time at an estimated cost of over ₹100 crore.

The park, to be set up with an objective to make Kerala a leading footwear manufacturing centre, will have facilities for production of both footwear and raw materials needed for the industry. The project is expected to emerge as a support centre for over 200 footwear manufacturing units in and around northern Kerala.

According to Kinfra officials, India ranked second in the world footwear manufacturing and to leverage the vast potential of the market, several foreign companies had started units. Though Kerala’s footwear market is estimated at ₹600 crore, the State is not producing even half of it. However, the footwear industry had made its presence in the State with the setting up of new ventures in the Malabar region.

There are also plans to develop a footwear institute in an area of 5 acres adjacent to the park to carry out training, design and innovation centres. This will be an added advantage to the park as skilled manpower can be generated from the institute, the officials said.

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