"The light industry is the only branch of Russian economy that showed a 6.6% decrease in production volumes in 2004," the statement says. "Among major causes of economic decline are high level of depreciation of main assets and poor protection of domestic manufacturers from illegal imports of goods to Russia."
Press service officials pointed out at the conquest of the Russian shoe market by South Asian manufacturers (mainly Chinese) as an example of the latter.
The letter indicates that the overall volume of imports significantly exceeds the threshold of economic security of the country. Russian shoe industry manufactures, on average, 0.4 pairs of shoes per person. Meanwhile, the shoe prices on the "shadow" market are significantly lower than those of domestic manufacturers, which puts Russian companies in disadvantage from the start.
"An economy branch that employs 800,000 people must be included in the implementation of the task to double Russia's GDP by 2010," the letter stresses.
Mr. Sumin urges the Russian Cabinet to take immediate and decisive measures.
