Indian leather industry sets export target of $7 billion by 2010-12

New Delhi, Jun 15 (UNI) Indian leather industry has set a target of an export turnover of 7 billion dollars by 2010-12 from the current level of 2.3 billion dollars by adopting a Leather Policy on the lines of IT and Textiles Policy.

To achieve the target, a Leather Design Centre has been set up here -- a joint venture of National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Indian Leather Garments Association (ILGA) and Council for Leather Exports (CLE) -- for releasing fashion trends, designs and colour forecasts in advance for the benefit of leather products exporters of the country.

On the release of the first Leather Trend Book Vision Spring/Summer 2007 here last night, ILGA President Moti Lal Sethi said that CLE has already started initiating Investment Promotion in leather sector and is setting up specialised ''Leather Desks'' in overseas Indian Missions especially in US and UK.

The Road Map/Vision Statement presented in Chennai last week calls for an average growth of 30 per cent per annum which is a challenging target and achievable with the concerted efforts of the industry, government, Trade Associations and Institutions like CLRI, FDDI, NIFT and NID, he said.

''In 1998, ILGA signed an MoU with NIFT with an objective that Indian manufacturers should not emerge as jobbers but must create their own product line by developing Designing Skills and create a Brand India for itself'', Mr Sethi said.

In the wake of changing global demands, leading brands and designers like Gucci, Marks&Spencer, Armany, Varsacce, Zara, Kenneth Cole and Liz Clairborne are looking at India for sourcing leather products and Leather Design Centre will go a long way to provide services and support to leather garments and leather goods industry in the areas of leather and styling trends, market intelligence, product development, design development, training and knowledge dissemination.

The Centre will service the industry in Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai through NIFT Centres.

Releasing the Leather Trend Book, Mr Jayant Dasupta, Jt Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, said that the Indian leather industry has now realised the importance of designs that counts.

''Italy sells whatever in leather fetches higher price and it is not only material but designs,'' Mr Dasgupta said.

He said efforts need to sustain and go forward by getting feedback from the industry and that would be possible by penetrating global markets in a better way for unit value realisation.

CLE Vice President Sanjay Leekha said that 5 Special Economic Zones and two Leather Clusters will be set up for meeting the export target set for 2010-12.

Leather Design Centre had released the Leather Trend Book in Chennai last week in the presence of Minister of State for Commerce Jayaram Ramesh.

India has a long tradition of tanning and finishing industry. The country presently manufactures annually around 2065 million pairs of footwear, 16 million pieces of leather garments and 63 million pieces of other leather goods. The total products value of Indian leather industry is approximately 4 billion dollars with annual exports of 2.3 billion dollars in 2004-05.

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