Export of leather and leather products from the country touched $3.47 billion (Rs 14,000 crore) in 2008-09 up 13.67% in dollar terms and 1.13% in rupee terms, according to the data released by the Council for Leather Exports (CLE).
The major items of export earnings are: finished leather: $766.93 million ($724.00 million), leather footwear: $1163.82 million ($974.33 million), footwear components: $266.11 million (219.84 million), leather garments: $343.99% ($309.91 million), leather goods: $784.95 million ($706.28 million), saddlery and harness: $105.81 million (82.33 million), and non-leather footwear: $45.90 million ($42.74 million).
Export of footwear, footwear component and non-leather footwear, that constituted 42.44% of total exports, increased from $1236.91 million to $1475.83 million, registering a growth of 19.32%. In dollar terms, leather footwear alone has grown by 19.45%, footwear components 21.05% and non-leather footwear 7.39%. Leather garments, constituting 9.89% of the export basket, increased by 11%, saddlery and harness (3.04%) by 28.53%, leather goods (22.57%) by 11.14% and finished leather (22.05%) by 5.93%.
According to CLE, 10 countries accounted for 75.41% of India’s leather and leather products exports in 2008-09. Germany with a share of 14.05% lead the G10 followed by Italy 13.78%, the United Kingdom 11.91%, the United States 8.82%, Hong Kong 7.70%, Spain 6.10%, France 5.64%, the Netherlands 3.84%, UAE 2.14% and Australia 1.43%.
Southern regions with an earning of $1398.49 million contributed 40.22% to the leather and products export basket. It is followed by the western region: $695.63 million and 20%, eastern region: $517 million and 14.89%, northern region: $377.21 million and 10.85%, and central region: $99.69 million and 2.87%.
