Leather Exports Further Untapped Potential

LEATHER industry has been identified as a thrust sector for exports during the Seventh Plan. Over the last few years, export earnings from leather and leather products have increased significantly. They have recorded the highest ever growtK of over 40 per cent in 1986-87 at Rs 930.78 crore from the previous year's level of Rs 662.51 crore. There has been an impressive increase in export earnings from value-added items such as leather garments from Rs 15.36 crore in 1985-86 to Rs 62.26 crore in 1986-87 and footwear from Rs 33.03 crore to Rs 80,38 crore. Even so, finished leather continued to account for as much as 43.5 per cent of total export earnings of the industry in 1986-87, The composition of export ear-