India has exported saddlery goods and harnesses worth 9,024,000 ECU, leather garments worth 154,093,000 ECU, leather goods worth 83,681,000 ECU and leather footwear worth 54,432,000 ECU during the year under review. (1 ECU= $1.140)

Leather exports to Germany has been stagnating over the last two years with a decline of one per cent during the current year. The reasons for the fall, include the mass-closure of tanneries in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

Moreover the current recession in the international market and unfavourable market conditions, increasing competition from Thailand, China, Vietnam and Bangladesh as well as rupee's appreciation against the European currency particularly the Deutsche Mark have led to decline in Indian leather exports to Germany.

The waysto arrest the declining export needs urgent implementation, opined A Sahasranaman, programme co-ordinator for pollution control in tanneries in south Asian countries of UNIDO. He stated that apart from quality improvement, due attention to the delivering and servicing system should be given.

The tanning sector needs to induct upgraded technology and also enhance production capacities.He also stressed the need for product development and said that exporters should reduce their dependence on patterns/sketches from their buyers to make samples and sell their own branded products. He said that tough global competition had changed the scene resulting in a major decline in India's exports. Even the emergence of new exporters from east European countries could not be ignored, he added.