A significant numbers of jobs could be lost following a WTO Doha Development Round agreement which will slash tariffs. Increased competition would make rich country leather sector employment fall: by 30% in Japan and by 20% in Canada. Rationalisation in poor countries would also spark job losses although of less than 10%, except in Bangladesh, where 13.6% job losses are predicted. Some emerging economies would pick up the slack, however. Bulgaria would ‘enjoy export gains in all sectors, particularly leather, with job numbers rising by 5.2%. South-east Asia’s leather industry would boom, boosting job numbers by 24.5% and China would gain 8.2% more leather industry jobs.
