Export Of Leather Products Of UP Dips As Demand In Britain And Canada Goes Down

Lucknow, October 10 (TNA) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday launched the 45th edition of the four-day international carpet fair at the Carpet Expo Mart in Bhadohi. On this occasion, he claimed that carpets made in three districts of UP, Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Varanasi, are being exported abroad the most. A few hours after his claim, the first quarterly report of the Leather Export Council was released.

In this report, information was given about the decline in demand for leather products made in UP in many other countries including America, Britain, Canada, Australia, Netherlands. According to this report, the said countries have distanced themselves from expensive leather products made in UP.

Damage to Kanpur-Unnao cluster

This is the situation even when the Yogi government is busy promoting export business to make UP a one trillion dollar economy. Even after this, the export of leather footwear, saddlery (horse saddles) and other leather products has fallen drastically. According to the report, exports of leather footwear have declined by 11 percent, saddlery by 29 percent and other leather products by nine percent.

UP's major cities Kanpur and Unnao cluster have suffered a major blow due to decline in export of leather products. The reason for this is the decline in the export of saddlery. Saddlery is made only in Kanpur-Unnao cluster.

Every year about Rs 1500 crore is exported. Saddlery is manufactured only in five places in the world. It is made only in the Kanpur-Unnao cluster in the country. The saddlery produced by this cluster is considered the best across the world.

It is in great demand in horse riding loving countries like Britain, Netherlands, Chile and America. In June last year, the export figure of saddlery was Rs 508.42 crore, which has come down to Rs 359.90 crore. This decline could have been even greater, but it was managed by saddlery orders from countries like UAE, Saudi Arabia, Poland, Malaysia and Mexico.

RK Jalan, Vice Chairman of the Leather Export Council, considers the decline in the export of leather as a matter of concern for the business. According to Jalan, there is a continuous decline in the exports of saddlery, leather footwear, leather products and non-leather products. Jalan is giving two reasons for this. The first reason is that he is considering the adverse effects on the economy of European countries due to Ukraine-Russia war.

Whereas the second reason he considers to be the indifference being shown by the government towards promoting the leather industry. Jalan says that the leather sector is included in the top ten priority sectors of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Despite this, less attention is being given to this sector. Jalan hopes that the state officials, understanding the problems of this sector, will focus on the export of leather products and the decline in exports will soon be stopped.

- Rajendra Kumar