According to customs statistics released by Hangzhou city, the provincial capital of Zhejiang province, during the first six months of 2005, the unit price of footwear produced in Zhejiang that was exported to EU countries increased by 25.5% to $2.8 per pair.

The statistics showed that in the six-month period Zhejiang exported 460 million pairs of shoes worth $1.1 billion, with unit prices increasing 7.7% on average to reach $2.4 per pair.

Mr. Zhu Feng, the secretary-general of Wenzhou footwear & leather industry, said that the increase in export prices would help Zhejiang shoe producers in light of the current EU anti-dumping investigation.