Moroccan Slippers.

Here's a question for you. How many Dirhams worth of shoes and slippers does Morocco export every year? Lets make it easy for you and limit the countries to, say, Spain, France, Germany and Italy? You don't know? Then read on....

Traditional men's slippers

Morocco produces millions of shoes and slippers every year. In Fez alone, I have lost count of the number of small craft shops that do nothing for more than 12 hours a day than turn out wonderful handmade sequined slippers.

And while they can be bought for very cheap prices in the Medina of Fez, try shopping for them in Paris or Berlin and you will get an idea of just how profitable they are for exporters. Some slippers, available locally for 150 Dirhams, sell in the UK for 25 British pounds.

And the export business is about to get bigger. According to a communiqué from the Moroccan Center for Exports Promotion (CMPE), six of the most important Moroccan shoe companies will take part in the World Shoe Fair (MIDEC) in the beginning of September - (2-4th). The exhibition, will include about 550 French and foreign companies, and is divided into "villages" in order to make navigation around the fair easier.

Last February, it attracted more than 12,000 professional purchasers and visitors.

Morocco has been involved with MIDEC twice a year since back in 1995.

Women's Slippers

And the answer to our question? In 2005 more than 1.67 billion Moroccan Dirhams was earned exporting to its main customers: France (40%), Spain (31%), Germany (13%) and Italy (9%).

The Moroccan participation in this exhibition is organised by the CMPE in collaboration with the Moroccan Federation of Leather Industries (Fedic).


Tags: Morocco Fes, Maghreb news