By Zelalem Girma
The Leather Industry Development Institute said it would give due attention to improve the quality of leather products and the performance of the sector through utilizing advanced technology. The institute is tanning hides and skin applying Chromium Sulphate, Indian technology, to increase quality.
At a consultative meeting here yesterday, Institute Corporate Communication Director Berhanu Serjabo said the institute works in collaboration with higher learning institutions which provide training in leather sector to reduce shortage of skilled manpower. The institute started engaging graduates from the leather sector to work in factories, he added.
About 26.1 million USD has been earned from the export of hides and skin in the first quarter of this fiscal year though the target was 53.2 million USD , he said.
According to Berhanu, the income that recently gained has shown a small decrease comparing with the target set in the reported period. It also showed a decrease of 14.3 per cent over the same period of the previous year. The major reasons to the decline of leather export performance is the decrease of the quality of hides and skins, and the recession in the international market, Berhanu said.
To protect the disease threatening animals, the institute has been conducting a research participating expertise from the sector. As finished leather, shoes, glove, leather garments and goods are products set to be exported, China, America, Kenya, Italy, Hong Kong are the major export markets of such products, Berhanu added.
In the previous fiscal year, about 116.9 million USD has been earned from hides and skin production. By the end of this fiscal year, the institute has set to earn about 272 million USD.