The Footwear Chamber of Argentina (CIC) has reported that imports of goods from China and Southeast Asia increased by 74% in the first five months of 2006 compared with the same period in 2005.
   
CIC president Alberto Sellaro denied that the reason for the increase was the fact that Argentina had reached the full use of its installed productive capacity and added that the country's industry is highly competitive.
 

The 74% increase has been attributed to unfair competition which CIC claims is risking investment and development in  local production. It is also seen as a threat to job stability in the sector, which currently employs 52,000 people directly and indirectly.

According to CIC figures, over two million pairs of shoes have been imported from China and Southeast Asia since January and imports from Brazil increased to 4.2 million pairs in the period.
 

Industry Secretary Miguel Peirano has pledged government support for the footwear sector and has promised the continuation of economic policy favouring the national industry. Argentina will continue to monitor the entry of Brazilian footwear through the non-automatic import permit mechanism as agreed with the Brazilian government.
 

The Argentinean government is also looking at the possibility of implementing a control mechanism for the entry of shoe uppers, the imports of which have grown considerably. These imports are said to have put thousands of jobs under threat as they are the shoe component with the highest added value.