The Council for Leather Exports (CLE) is seeking the support of the Vienna-based United Nations International Development Organisation (UNIDO) to source raw hides and skins from some of the African countries that have them in abundance. Many European companies and traders are well established in that continent. The Chinese have been in the African market for quite some years. John Peter Moll, head of the textiles and leather unit in UNIDO has assured CLE that the organisation would provide information on the availability of raw materials in countries like Burkina Faso, Tanzania, and Chad. The Indian leather industry is gearing itself to hit an export target of $7 billion by 2011 from the present $2.9 billion. One of the main bottlenecks in this race, is the shortage of quality raw hides and skins. CLE estimates that to make a quantum jump in exports there should be proportionate rise in tanning capacity. The annual production of finished leather has to go up to 4 billion square feet from 2 billion square feet. To meet this demand, imports of raw hides will have to increase 40% .
Since Central African countries have an abundant supply of raw hides and skins and since India has institutional relations with some of them, the top officials of CLE met the UNIDO officials in Vienna. CLE chairman Mukhtarul Amin and executive director K Elangovan sought support in identifying sources of raw materials and securing them through its network of UNIDO offices. It has been learnt that UNIDO has suggested that grassroot level co-operation would be possible through joint ventures in the collection process of raw hides and skins.
The UNIDO officials also advised CLE members to visit Central African countries where good quality raw hides and skins are available. They said Burkina Faso has a steady output of wet blue skins very suitable for Indian finished leather manufacturers. It is said that the investment policy in Tanzania was quite conducive to Indian firms interested in floating joint ventures with Tanzanian companies.
