Lately, Türkiye’s leather export figures have posted some encouraging gains, into double figures each month. However, increased export value is explained less by sales than by the fact that many more producers have now swelled the ranks as registered, official exporters and have become members of regional exporting unions, such as Istanbul’s ITKIB.
Producers are mindful that new rules from Russia, effective January 1, 2004, will seek to curb the illegal cross-border trade that has proliferated with Türkiye.
Additionally, finance is now so critical in the tannery and leather industry that firms are rushing to register as legal exporters to benefit from refunds and export tax credits which they were ineligible for as ‘suitcase’ traders.
