Leather industry falling behind competitors
8 October 2012The leather sector in Pakistan may be treated as a model sector in Strategic Trade Policy Frame Work for the next three to five years by the national government. Newly elected Chairman, Pakistan Tanners Association (Central) Agha Saiddain has said.
He said the leather industry had potential to grow to a $3 billion industry in the next three years, which was stagnant at US$1 billion for the past five years. Meanwhile, leather sector exports from India had grown during the year 2011-2012 and export of leather & leather products had increased by 17% from Bangladesh. Leather exports from Ethiopia had also doubled in past three years.
Pakistan’s exports from the global leather industry have declined by 3.94% during the year 2011-2012. Many competing countries including China have recorded positive growth in exports from the leather and leather products sector and the only country lagging behind is Pakistan.
He said, “In Pakistan we have no leather development plan and for this reason we have lost our market share to other countries in South Asia. He expressed his disappointment and said the government, especially the ministry of commerce must sit with the leather industry in Pakistan to draft a strategy to boost exports.
